The Amazing Race 1889: An Epic Story Based on the First Eleven Seasons
by TheInventor
Summary: A re-imagining of the real-life Amazing Race All-Stars, the Amazing Race 1889 has your all-time favorite teams racing around the world for one million dollars, with the setting being the late 19th century. This epic adventure is both a homage to the Amazing Race and to Jules Verne's book Around the World in 80 Days. Join the racers in the most epic race in human history.
1. The World is Waiting for you

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Amazing Race. It is the property of CBS. **

The Amazing Race 1889: An Epic Amazing Race Story Based on the First Eleven Seasons

Episode 1: The World is Waiting for You. Good Luck. Travel Safe. Go!

(Shot of the Statue of Liberty as a steamer with immigrants passes by it in 1889 New York City. Cut to a shot of Phil Keoghan standing at Statue of Liberty's base, wearing a suit and a top hat)

Phil: I am standing at the mouth of New York Harbor. For generations, the crossroads of the world. A world that will soon play host to twenty-two people who have decided to take a break from their everyday lives and embark on a race around the world for one million dollars.

(Cut to a shot of a series of horse-drawn carriages heading to Central Park's Bethesda Fountain)

Phil: The contestants have been stripped off all their money and maps. Their greatest resource will be each other as they circle the globe in teams of two. The eleven teams are as followed: Charla and Mirna, cousins from Baltimore, Maryland.

Mirna: When most people see Charla, they see someone who's short. They automatically assume that she's going to be weak. But Charla is tough. She's feisty.

Charla: The Amazing Race is a great opportunity for me to break all stereotypes about little people. I can do anything and everything anyone else can do, if not better.

Phil: Rob and Amber, engaged couple who met while shipwrecked on the Pearl Islands of the coast of Panama.

Amber: Rob and I met while we were trapped on the Pearl Islands after our ship crashed onto the shore.

Rob: After several days of surviving on a godforsaken island, Amber and I realized we were meant for one another due to how both of us could the hostile jungle, thereby establishing a common link between me and her. I want to enter the race to prove myself a survivor on the greatest jungle in history: earth.

Phil: Ken and Gerard, brothers from the Northeast.

Gerard: Kenny and I are very different. I'm a Republican.

Ken: And I'm a Democrat.

Gerard: I'm married with kids.

Ken: I'm single.

Gerard: We're both from very different worlds.

Phil: Drew and Kevin, fraternity brothers and best friends for seventeen years.

Drew: Kevin and I have done zero preparation.

Kevin: Oh we are the ugly Americans, no question about it. There's definitely the potential for an international incident.

Phil: BJ and Tyler, best friends from San Francisco, California.

BJ: Tyler and I have been best friends for four years.

Tyler: BJ and I seek the joy in life. We feel like we are the searchers for the funny and the ironic in life.

BJ: We're competitive, but competitive in a fun way where we're not out to destroy other teams.

Tyler: People will have trouble believing that these two free-spirited, fun loving, long haired guys are actually very deceitful and will do whatever they can to win.

BJ: Yeah.

Phil: Joe and Bill, close friends. Together for fourteen years.

Bill: Our name is Team Guido, and Guido is our dog.

Joe: You don't have to be the strongest person. You don't have to be the fastest one. But you do have to be the smartest ones.

Phil: Colin and Christie, dating from Corpus Christie, Texas.

Christie: I think that Colin and I are two very stubborn, very aggressive leaders who are used to being in control.

Colin: I'm just a very intense person. I think I could possibly be the most intense person on this race.

Phil: Linda and Karen, best friends, mothers, and amateur bowlers.

Linda: We are your bowling team, the bowling moms from California.

Karen: Whether we're bowling or cooking, it doesn't matter. We always try to outdo each other. Our biggest advantage will be our competitiveness. We go in to win.

Phil: Oswald and Danny, best friends from Florida.

Oswald: We're going on this race. We're absolutely fabulous.

Danny: We are partners in crime.

Oswald: The one thing that I find difficult about this race is traveling the world without the comforts of home.

Phil: Dustin and Kandice, beauty queens from New York City.

Kandice: Dustin and I met at a local beauty pageant in New York City.

Dustin: Kandice is one of the most competitive people that I have ever met in my life, and I think that's really the glue to our friendship

Phil: Flo and Zach, friends who met on their first day at Vassar College.

Zach: This is the first time Flo and I have been together where we are not committed to someone else.

Flo: There's been a romantic tension there. I guess this is a sort of a test, and it is a test of how compatible we are with each other.

(Cut back to Phil at the Statue of Liberty)

Phil: Can these couples withstand the stress of traveling together across the globe? Who will muster the right combination of brains, brawn, and team work to win the one million dollars? These are the questions weighing most heavily as we get ready to begin the Amazing Race.

(Cut to Phil standing with the racers at Bethesda Fountain)

Phil: In just a few minutes, you'll be leaving on a race that will circle the globe. Along the way, you'll be required to complete a number of tasks. Now some of these will be physically challenging. Others will challenge your mind. Now listen carefully. There are eight elimination points in this race. The first one is going to be happen very soon. Now once you start, you need to complete your tasks as fast as you can because the last team to get to the elimination point will be out of the race. Does everybody understand that?

(Cut to every racer nodding their head)

Phil: Okay. This is a travel packet. Now inside is all the information you need to get going along with some cash. How you use the money is completely up to you. But remember, you won't be getting any more of it until you finish this leg of the race, so if I can give any advice, make sure you spend it wisely. Now your travel packets are attached to the luggage you brought with you, which are on the top of these stairs. When I give you the word, you can go up there, open up your packets, and what you do after that is completely up to you. All right everyone. The world is waiting for you. Good luck. Travel safe.

(Pan over all the racers as Phil raises his hand)

Phil (lowering his hand): Go!

(All the racers running up the stairs)

Mirna: Charla come on! Come on!

Rob: Let's go Amber!

Kevin: Drew come on!

Oswald: Danny hurry up!

Colin (ripping the clue envelope and reading the clue): Travel to the city of Liverpool, United Kingdom.

Dustin: You may only travel on one of these two steamers.

Gerard: The SS Britannic or the SS Germanic.

Phil (voice-over): Teams will drive themselves on marked horse-drawn carriages across the Brooklyn Bridge and head for the Brooklyn Seaport. Teams will depart on either the SS Britannic or the SS Germanic. The SS Britannic is scheduled to arrive in Liverpool at 9:00 A.M., while the SS Germanic is scheduled to arrive an hour and a half later. Teams will find their next clue just outside the Liverpool seaport.

BJ: Alright! Let's go!

Christie: Colin! Here are the carriages just outside Central Park.

Colin: I'm coming!

Mirna: Charla! Everyone's beating us. Let's go to the carriages.

Charla: I'm trying, Mirna!

Colin (placing himself in the driver seat of the carriage): Giddy up!

Bill (on the driver seat): Onward!

Amber (in the carriage): Alright. Let's go to Liverpool.

Rob (on the driver seat): Forward stallion!

Linda (in the carriage): I can't believe were on the Amazing Race!

Karen (on the driver seat): Get comfortable back there.

(Introduction sequence: Charla and Mirna, Rob and Amber, Ken and Gerard, Kevin and Drew, BJ and Tyler, Joe and Bill, Colin and Christie, Linda and Karen, Danny and Oswald, Dustin and Kandice, Flo and Zach)

(Cut to an overshoot of two carriages traveling over the Brooklyn Bridge)

Rob: I'm catching up to the carriage in front of me!

(Rob bumps his carriage right besides Colin's)

Colin: I don't think so!

(Colin bumps his carriage right besides Rob's)

Rob (playful mocking): Oh come on! Give the man from Boston a chance to demolish you.

Colin (laughing back at Rob): Oh there's going to be some demolition. Of you!

(Cut to Charla and Mirna, BJ and Tyler, and Flo and Zach wandering aimlessly across Manhattan)

Mirna: Are we traveling the wrong way? Uh-oh.

Charla: Are you reading the map properly?

Mirna: Darn it! I had it upside down. (Flipping the map right side up) That's much better.

BJ: Tyler. I think we're lost. We're heading back to Central Park, not away from it.

Tyler: Sorry my dear friend.

BJ (chuckling): I know you love trees but we're in a race for a million dollars, and we need to head for the Brooklyn seaport.

Flo (crying): Zach! We're heading the wrong way! Go back! Go back!

Zach: Calm down Flo. We'll get there soon enough.

Flo: Please Zach! I'm just going to faint if we're among the last people to reach the Brooklyn seaport.

(Cut to the Brooklyn seaport as carriages are parking near it)

Colin: Okay. Let's get our bags and book it, Christie.

Christie: Right behind you Colin.

Joe: Good job Bill.

Bill: Into the Brooklyn seaport we go.

(At the steamer ticket office)

Colin (talking with the ticket employee): Hi. I want two tickets on the Britannic heading for Liverpool. (Now having the tickets in hand) Thank you.

Rob: I'll have what he's having (Now having the tickets in hand) Thank you.

(Cut to Charla and Mirna making their way into the Brooklyn seaport)

Mirna (seeing the line): I see that there are three teams in front of us: Dustin and Kandice, Kevin and Drew, and Ken and Gerard. Hopefully there will be enough seats for Charla and me on the Britannic.

(Dustin and Kandice, Kevin and Drew, and Ken and Gerard receive their tickets as Charla and Mirna walk towards the ticket employee)

Mirna: Hi. Can we please have two tickets on the SS Britannic?

Ticket employee: I'm sorry, madam. We're out of seats on the Britannic

(Cut to Mirna slamming her head on the counter in frustration)

Charla: Joe and Bill must have gotten here earlier and purchased the tickets before us.

(Cut to Danny and Oswald, Linda and Karen, BJ and Tyler, and Flo and Zach entering the seaport terminal)

Oswald (talking to Mirna): Are we all going to be on the SS Germanic?

Mirna (depressed): Yes we are.

Flo: Oh Zach! You told me we were going to get there first!

Zach: Just calm down Flo. It's best if we don't panic.

(Cut to Flo fainting on the spot and landing on the floor of the seaport terminal)

(Commercial Break)

(Cut to the SS Britannic about to depart from the Brooklyn seaport)

Phil: The six teams that will be departing first are Colin and Christie, Rob and Amber, Joe and Bill, Kevin and Drew, Dustin and Kandice, and Ken and Gerard.

(Cut to the SS Germanic floating alongside the SS Britannic)

Phil: The five teams that will be departing an hour and a half later are Charla and Mirna, Linda and Karen, Oswald and Danny, BJ and Tyler, and Flo and Zach.

(Cut to the SS Britannic traveling past the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island)

Colin (voice-over): The Amazing Race can be defined as an epic journey across continents, oceans, and cities. I hope that Christie and I can circumnavigate the globe and reach the holy grail of one million dollars.

Rob (voice-over): I'm the ultimate survivor, and I will do whatever it takes to win the greatest race in the history of humankind.

(Cut to the SS Germanic departing from the Brooklyn seaport)

Charla (voice-over): Despite Mirna and I being in the back of the pack, I still believe that I can prove to the world that little people like myself can do anything they if they are determined to do so.

Karen (voice-over): Linda and I are here to prove that middle-age moms can still compete against these youngsters, thus allowing all the other moms to become empowered in making a difference in today's society.

(Cut to the map of the world)

Phil: All teams are heading towards the British city of Liverpool, where they will find their next clue.

(Cut to shots of Liverpool, with smokestacks and a series of railcars crossing the city. The SS Britannic has just arrived in Liverpool at 9:00 A.M.)

Gerard: All right Ken! Let's run out the steamship like brothers in a race for a million dollars would do.

Ken: Right behind you, my brother.

Amber: Cluebox is just outside the Liverpool seaport, Rob.

Colin (reaching the cluebox first with Christie, opening the clue afterwards): Take a train to the city of London.

Joe (reading the clue): And search for the place where the Crown Jewels are on display.

Phil: Teams will travel by train to the city of London, and once there, they will head for the Tower of London, a castle in which holds the royal Crown Jewels of the British monarchy. It is here that teams will find their next clue.

Dustin (talking to a local): Excuse me sir. Can you please tell me where the nearest train station is?

Local: Sure thing love. It's near the center. You can't miss it.

Kandice: Thank you.

Kandice (voice-over): Dustin and I are not your typical beauty queens. We are also suffragists. We hope that the Amazing Race will also prove to the world that women have the same right to vote as men and that women can perform any tasks that a man can, if not better.

Colin: Let's run as fast as we can to the train station, Christie.

(Cut to Joe and Bill leaving in a different direction)

Joe: Let's go this way. It may be the fastest way to the train station.

(Cut to the rest of the group heading towards the train station)

Christie: Has any seen Joe and Bill?

Amber: I haven't.

(Cut to Joe and Bill reaching the train station first and talking to the train ticket employee)

Bill: Two tickets to London, please. (Bill being handed two train tickets) Thank you.

(Cut to Joe and Bill entering the train and seating themselves at the very back of the train)

Joe: Let's avoid the others so they won't catch us planning our next strategy. And request two Earl Grey teas for the both of us.

Bill (smirking and drinking Earl Grey tea with Joe): I think this is the beginning of a wonderful relationship for the both of us on this race.

(Cut to everyone except Ken and Gerard reaching the train station)

Colin: Two train tickets to London, please. (Colin being handed the tickets) Thank you.

Dustin: Where are Ken and Gerard? I thought they were just behind us.

(Cut to Ken and Gerard running through the streets of Liverpool with sweat on their faces)

Gerard (calling back to Ken): Kenny. I think we may be out of shape for the race.

Ken: Oh brother. I think at this rate, we'll make it to the train station in about 80 days.

(Cut to Colin and Christie, Rob and Amber, Kevin and Drew, and Dustin and Kandice seating themselves on the train)

Kevin (grimacing at the tea on the table): Man I hate English tea.

Drew (smiling at Kevin's look of disgust): I know how you feel. My goodness, we're such ugly Americans.

(Cut to the train departing from the train station as Ken and Gerard just arrived at the platform)

Ken: My brother. We just missed our window of opportunity.

Gerard (taking out his pocket watch): By my calculations, the SS Germanic has just about arrived in Liverpool.

(Cut to the SS Germanic arriving at the Liverpool seaport)

Mirna (holding Charla's hand as they disembark the SS Germanic): Charla, come on! We got places to go and people to see.

(Cut to Mirna confronting a street urchin minding his own business)

Mirna (speaking in a thick-cockney accent as she is holding the boy with both of her hands): Excuse me love. Can you please tell me where the Liverpool train station is?

Street Urchin (running away for his life): Get away from me, you crazy American woman!

Mirna (looking at Charla awkwardly): Guess I need to work on my people skills.

(Cut to Zach looking at a map and walking two feet away from Flo)

Flo: Zach! Don't leave me!

Zach: Flo. I just assumed that you were walking behind me.

Flo: Zach! Don't ever leave me behind.

Flo (voice-over): I admit that I'm not the best person to deal with the pressures and rigors of everyday life. During the race, don't be surprised if I'm going to cry or have a total meltdown.

Flo (attempting to follow Zach on foot): Zach! I can't keep up!

(Cut to Ken and Gerard entering the train with the rest of the racers from the SS Germanic)

Gerard: Well we're all here on the same train as the back of the pack. Throughout the race, we'll be trying to come up with nicknames for our fellow racers. So far, we have the Bowling Moms (Linda and Karen) and Team Cha-Cha-Cha (Danny and Oswald).

Ken (smiling): And we're Team Oh Brother!

Gerard (smiling back at Ken): That's right, my brother!

(Cut to the first train carrying Colin and Christie, Rob and Amber, Kevin and Drew, Joe and Bill, and Dustin and Kandice, all eating steak and kidney pies)

Kevin (drinking the English tea): I must say. English tea is good after all. Maybe the point of the Amazing Race is to allow you to experience other cultures and learn to appreciate them.

Rob (looking out the window at the English countryside as the sun is setting): Ah, Jolly Old England. The countryside is so majestic. Its little wonder the Romans termed Britain _pretium victoria_.

Dustin (also looking out the window): If I wasn't on a race for a million dollars, I would most certainly be touring the English countryside with you Kandice.

(Cut to the first train arriving at King's Cross railway station)

Joe (helping Bill get onto the platform): Just like English clockwork. Come on Bill. Let's get off immediately before the others see us.

(Cut to Joe and Bill heading out of King's Cross and onto a marked horse-drawn carriage as the other teams are also making their way off the train)

Drew: We've got to ask people where the Crown Jewels are being displayed.

Kevin (running onto the street and stopping a horse-drawn carriage dead in its tracks): Hey, Hey! Can you please tell me the location of the Crown Jewels?

Startled driver: At the Tower of London. Now get out of the way you crazy American!

Drew (climbing into the passenger seat of the carriage): Let's get into the carriage Kevin.

(Cut to Rob and Amber racing their carriage with Colin and Christie)

Colin (shouting at his horse): Faster, faster!

Rob (swerving to avoid the passengers): Get out the way! Survivor from Boston coming through!

Christie (seeing an old man crossing the street): Watch out for that man!

(Cut to Colin stopping the carriage in front of the old man)

Old Man: What the Dickens!

(Cut to Rob pulling ahead of Colin)

Rob (shouting at an angry Colin): See you later! Tell your friends and family at home I said hello!

(Cut to Dustin and Kandice driving their horse-drawn carriage next to Colin and Christie)

Kandice (talking to Christie): Do you need any help?

Christie: No. We're good.

Dustin: Tell you what. How about we work together when we arrive at the Tower of London?

Colin: Sure thing.

(Cut to Rob and Amber arriving at the Tower of London and heading to the holding area of the Crown Jewels)

Amber (finding the cluebox and opening the clue): Search the Tower of London for departure times.

Phil: Teams will search the Tower of London for the following departure times listed on eleven tags: 8:00 A.M. for three teams, 8:30 A.M. for four teams, and 9:30 A.M. for four teams. Once a team pulls a tag from its string, they may not exchange it.

Rob (heading out of the Crown Jewels holding area): Let's go and find that tag. Man. I can't believe we saw the Crown Jewels of the British monarchy.

Amber (near the entrance of the White Tower): I found one for 8:30 A.M.

Rob: Don't pull it yet. Wait till we have checked all of the other tags.

(Cut to Colin and Christie and Dustin and Kandice arriving at the Tower of London)

Christie: We can still catch up to Rob and Amber. Come on!

(Cut to Rob and Amber at a 8:00 A.M. tag)

Rob: This is the earliest one. Let's pull it.

(Amber takes the 8:00 A.M. tag)

(Cut to Rob and Amber looking from the White Tower at Colin and Christie and Dustin and Kandice)

Rob (seeing Colin and Christie and Dustin and Kandice): I am now overlooking the grounds of the Tower of London where I see the battlefield with my enemies.

Colin (talking to Dustin, and Kandice): Let's look for the earliest departure times.

(Cut to Joe and Bill and Kevin and Drew arriving at the Tower of London)

Joe: We got completely lost in the streets of London, Bill.

Bill: I concur, partner.

Drew (speaking to Kevin): You just had to have more English tea, Kevin.

Kevin: I can't help it, Drew. I'm just a thirsty American.

(Cut to Colin and Christie and Dustin and Kandice each finding 8:00 A.M. tags and pulling them)

Colin (clapping the hands of Christie, Dustin, and Kandice): Great teamwork everybody!

(Cut to Joe and Bill and Kevin and Drew pulling the 8:30 A.M. tags)

Kevin: So this means that only two more teams will get the 8:30 A.M. departure times, with the final four getting certain elimination with the 9:30 A.M. departure time.

(Cut to the second train arriving at King's Cross station)

BJ (holding up his hand with a Y-gesture): Hello Londoners. T-Tow!

(Cut to shot of everyone at the train station looking awkwardly at BJ in stunned silence)

BJ: Geez. Tough crowd.

Tyler: Let's just go on our merry way, BJ.

(Cut to every racers departing in their horse-drawn carriages)

Gerard (in the driver seat): I think I know where I'm supposed to go.

Ken (smiling excitedly): Carry on, oh brother of mine.

(Cut to Danny and Oswald befriending their horse)

Oswald (in the driver seat): Good horsy. We'll give you a nice back massage if we get there quickly.

Danny: You're such a horse whisperer, Oswald.

(Cut to Charla and Mirna getting lost with their horse)

Mirna: Mr. Horse, where are you taking us?

Karen (in the driver seat): Linda. What's wrong with Charla and Mirna's horse?

Linda: I don't know, Karen.

(Cut to Charla and Mirna's horse leading them the wrong way towards a child holding a carrot)

Mirna (seeing the horse chewing the carrot): Oh. It's good for you to have the carrot Mr. Horse, but we're in a race for a million dollars. So can you please hurry up there with your lunch Mr. Horse?

(Cut to Zach attempting to read a map of London with Flo sleeping in the carriage)

(Cut to Ken and Gerard and Danny and Oswald arriving at the cluebox next to the Crown Jewels)

Oswald: Hey Ken and Gerard. How about we work together in finding the earliest possible tags?

Ken (shaking Oswald's hand): Sure thing.

(Cut to BJ and Tyler arriving just as Ken and Gerard and Danny and Oswald are leaving)

Tyler: Let's get some tags, Sir BJ.

BJ: Lead the way Lord Tyler.

(Cut to BJ and Tyler looking at a 9:30 A.M. tag)

BJ: Should we pull it?

Tyler: Yeah. Just pull it. As I always say, leap before you look.

(BJ takes the tag off the wall)

(Cut to Ken and Gerard and Danny and Oswald pulling the 8:30 A.M. tags)

BJ (seeing Ken and Gerard): Hey Kenny and Genny. What tags did you pull?

Ken and Gerard: The 8:30 A.M. tags.

Tyler (horrified): Oh man, BJ. We thought we have obtained the earliest departure time. Now we have a difficult day ahead of us tomorrow.

(Cut to Charla and Mirna, Linda and Karen, and Flo and Zach each pulling 9:30 A.M. departure times and realizing that they would leave last)

Linda: Gosh darn it, Karen. We're at the bottom of the pack.

Flo (upset at Zach): Zach! I can't believe you failed in getting here ahead of all the other people.

Mirna: Well Charla. Guess we'll have to wing it tomorrow and hope for the best.

(Cut to BJ and Tyler, Linda and Karen, Charla and Mirna, and Flo and Zach discussing their precarious situation as the sun is setting over the Tower of London)

Charla: Well. It appears that we are the unlucky group of people who will be departing last. Out of this entire group, one of us will be eliminated from the greatest race in human history. In light of this grim situation, I wish all of you the best of luck tomorrow my fellow racers and Godspeed.

(Cut to everyone else in the group saying Godspeed)

(Commercial Break)

(Cut to the Tower of London at 9:53 P.M., where the racers are witnesses to the Ceremony of the Keys. The Chief Yeoman Warder is leading a group of the Queen's Guard as he holds the Queen's keys. He is halted by the sentry guarding the Bloody Tower Archway)

Sentry (holding a rifle at the Chief Yeoman Warder): Who comes there?

Chief Yeoman Warder (unnerved): The keys.

Sentry: Whose keys?

Chief Yeoman Warder: Queen Victoria's keys.

Sentry: Pass Queen Victoria's Keys. All's well.

(The Chief Yeoman Warder, the Queen's Guard, and the racers enter into the main fortress as the guards position themselves in an orderly fashion, presenting their armed weapons as the Chief Yeoman Warder raises his hat)

Chief Yeoman Warder: God preserve Queen Victoria.

Sentry: Amen!

(Cut to the racers getting ready to sleep in the White Tower)

Mirna: Most extraordinary. The Ceremony of the Keys has been performed continuously since the 14th century. For nearly half a millennium, the British military has been dedicated to protecting the monarchy's keys, which represent the very essence of the British Isles.

Kevin: Before I came here, I thought the British people were arrogant and self-absorbed in contrast to the more virtuous Americans. But after seeing the Ceremony of the Keys here, I came to realize that the British are a people that have the same amount of pride for their nation just as Americans. For 500 years, they looked after these seemingly ordinary keys as if the entire country would fall without them. This race gives you the chance to witness how people live differently throughout the world.

(Cut to the Tower of London in the morning where ravens are gathering on the lawn, a site in which Rob and Amber, Colin and Christie, and Dustin and Kandice are waiting to depart at 8:00 A.M.)

Dustin: Travel to the place where Phileas Fogg began and ended his race around the world in 80 days.

Phil: Teams will figure out that Phileas Fogg began and ended his journey at the Reform Club, where they'll find their next clue.

Rob (climbing in the driver seat of the horse-drawn carriage): Having read the newspapers chronicling Mr. Fogg's race around the world, I know that he began and ended at the Reform Club.

Colin (eavesdropping on Rob): Come on Christie. Let's go to the Reform Club.

Rob (spotting two men along the way): Hey. Can you help a fellow man get to the Reform Club?

British detective: I think we have enough time on our hands to help this American, my dear Watson.

Rob: Good. Now climb into the carriage and lead the way to the Reform Club.

Amber (now seated with Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson): May I smoke your pipe?

Sherlock Holmes (handing Amber his pipe): Sure thing, madam.

(Cut to Rob and Amber arriving at the Reform Club)

Rob (ready to enter the Reform Club): Wait for us here Mr. Holmes and Dr. Watson.

Watson (seeing Rob and Amber enter the Reform Club as they are bumped by Colin and Christie): What a strange pair they are!

Sherlock Holmes: Elementary, my dear Watson.

(Cut to Rob and Amber and Colin and Christie finding the cluebox and opening the clue)

Rob (reading the clue): Simultaneous Roadblock. Who's the writer and who's the reader?

Phil: This is a Simultaneous Roadblock. Normally, only one person may perform a roadblock, but in this case, both team members will do the roadblock, each with their own specific task within the Simultaneous Roadblock. In this Simultaneous Roadblock, one person will learn how to operate a telegraph, pushing the button with the right amount of force in order to write out the correct order of dots and dashes. The series of dots and dashes are shown right here: [G (-.) O (-) D (-..) S (...) A (.-) V (...-) E.T (-) H (...) E.Q (-.-) U (..-) E.E.N (-.)]. Once the telegram has been properly written out, then the other team member will translate the message into the correct statement with the help of a Morse code translation sheet, with the words being God Save the Queen. They will present their correct sentence to Phileas Fogg, who will give them their next clue if they are right.

Amber: I'm the writer. Is that fine?

Rob: Very well. I'm the reader.

Colin: I'm going to be the writer, and you're going to be the reader.

Christie: Okay.

(Cut to Rob and Amber and Colin and Christie positioning themselves at tables with telegraphs, with a phonograph playing God Save the Queen in the background)

Amber (typing in [.-. ... .. .-.. .. .-. .-. .. -. . ...]): This doesn't look right. Look like I'm pressing it randomly. (Sighing) Let me try it again.

(Cut to Colin tapping gently at the telegraph as Dustin and Kandice enter the room)

Christie: Colin. Press lighter. (Sees Colin hammering the telegraph) Press harder.

Colin (exasperated): I'm pressing it! (Looks at the message): This message looks broken to me [- -.- / - -..- / .. ... / -... .-. - -.- . -.].

Dustin (the writer): Alright Kandice. I'm going to press slowly but steady so that I can get it right the first time.

Amber (typing in [-. - -.. / ... .- ...- . ... / - ... . / -.- ..- . . -.]): Eureka! I got it!

Rob: Good job. Let me see the message. (Sees message) This seems challenging. I don't know if I'm going to translate it correctly.

(Cut back to The Tower of London at 8:30 A.M. as Joe and Bill, Kevin and Drew, Danny and Oswald, and Ken and Gerard are about to leave)

Gerard (reading the clue): Travel to the place where Phileas Fogg began and ended his race around the world in 80 days.

Drew (seeing everyone else getting into their carriages): Let's go Kevin before we're the only ones left at the Bloody Tower.

(Cut back to the Reform Club where Rob and Amber, Colin and Christie, and Dustin and Kandice are struggling with the Simultaneous Roadblock)

Rob (frustrated): Ah! I can't seem to figure it out.

Amber: It's okay. The other two teams haven't master the transcribing part yet.

(Rob sees Colin and Dustin making faces of agony and anguish as they are tapping the telegraph)

Rob: Let me think. Let me think. (Looks at Phileas Fogg checking his pocket watch, looks at Colin and Dustin tapping on the telegraphs, looks at Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson talking outside, looks at the phonograph) There has to be a reason for the phonograph in the room. (Listen to God Save the Queen on the phonograph) By John Adams, I got it (Rob decode the Morse code perfectly)!

(Cut to Rob and Amber handing the decoded message to Phileas Fogg)

Rob: Is this right, my good man?

Phileas Fogg (handing the clue to Rob and Amber): Yes. This is correct.

Rob: Thank you, my good lad. Mr. Fogg. (Staring gleefully at a struggling Colin) Let me tell you, I am proud of your accomplishment of traveling around the world in 80 days, and indeed, my wife and I are the only Americans that will have the pleasure of winning the million dollars on this race.

(Cut to Colin's stunned reaction to Rob and Amber getting the clue quickly)

Colin: How did Rob get it so quickly? This is absurd! (Sees his own message being [- ... .. ... / .. ... / -... ..- .-.. .-.. ... ... .. -]).

(Cut to Rob and Amber driving their horse-drawn carriage with Holmes and Watson)

Amber (reading the clue in the passenger seat): Travel to the building where the British Parliament meets.

Phil: Teams will travel to the Palace of Westminster, the building where the British Parliament convenes to discuss matters of both kingdom and empire. Once there, teams will find their next clue next to Big Ben.

Rob (talking to Amber about Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson): These guys are pumped to be with us.

Amber (holding a magnifying glass and wearing Sherlock's deerstalker on her head): Yep.

Sherlock Holmes (talking to Dr. Watson): These Americans are very interesting. Very interesting, indeed.

(Cut back to the Reform Club where Joe and Bill, Kevin and Drew, Danny and Oswald, and Ken and Gerard have just entered the room)

Christie: I wonder how Rob and Amber managed to leave here faster than us. Rob looks like an individual of less intellect than us, Colin.

Colin: I know, Christie. Ever since this race began, Rob has been trying to display himself as this all-powerful Alpha Male that is guaranteed to win this race. One of these days, I am going to beat Rob on this race, and I will feel most satisfied.

Christie: I hope so, Colin.

Colin (relieved): Finally! I'm got the message transcribed.

Dustin (relieved): Thank goodness for my slow and steady method.

(Cut to Christie and Kandice racing to translate the message as Joe and Bill, Kevin and Drew, Danny and Oswald, and Ken and Gerard took their seats at the tables with telegraphs)

Kandice: What am I missing? What am I missing?

Colin (talking to Christie): Be patient. The last four teams aren't even here.

(Cut to Charla and Mirna, BJ and Tyler, Linda and Karen, and Flo and Zach departing from the Tower of London at 9:30 A.M.)

Linda (talking to Karen): Alright, let's go!

(Cut to the carriage driven by Mirna and ridden by Charla)

Mirna (driving the horse): Charla. I want to discuss with you about last night. It would be wise not to go about making friends in this race. Because these other teams will squeeze you like a bug if you give them the opportunity to do so by your trustworthiness.

Charla: I just wanted to be civilized to my fellow racers. That's all.

Mirna: We are like a fragile fly, and these teams will devour you up like a Venus flytrap when given the chance. Don't allow them to consume you by their gifts of gratitude.

Charla: Okay.

(Cut back to the Reform Club, where Christie and Kandice are racing to translate the message)

Kandice (scanning the room for clues): There has to be something in this room to help me. (Hears God Save the Queen on the phonograph) I got it (writes down God Save the Queen)! Mr. Fogg, is my answer correct?

Phileas Fogg: Yes it is.

(Cut to Colin shaking his head as Dustin and Kandice receives their clue and head out of the Reform Club)

Colin (talking to Christie): Man. You're killing us, Christie.

Christie: Colin. I'm trying my best.

(Cut to Mirna and Charla, BJ and Tyler, Linda and Karen, and Flo and Zach entering the Reform Club, taking their seats at the tables of telegraphs)

Christie: Okay Colin. I think I have it. (Hands message to Phileas Fogg). Mr. Fogg, is this correct?

Phileas Fogg: Yes it is.

Colin (being handed the clue by Phileas Fogg): Thank you! (Opening and reading the clue) Travel to the building where the British Parliament meets. Come on, Christie. We still have plenty of time to catch up.

(Cut to Charla having trouble with using the telegraph)

Mirna (frustrated with Charla): Charla. What are you doing? Tap rapidly for the dots. Tap for an extended period for the dashes.

Charla (recoiling in pain): Ah! I just bumped my leg against the wires coming from the telegraph. I'm okay though. (Reading message from the telegraph [.. / -. - - / . .-.. . -.-. - .-. - -.-. ..- - . -..]) I need more work on this machine.

(Cut to Tyler clicking away at the telegraph)

Tyler (in a singing voice): Up, down, up, down, click, click, and click.

BJ: Go on, my little maestro.

(Cut to Flo complaining about having to press the telegraph button many times)

Flo: Zach! My finger hurts! I want to take a break.

Zach (hiding his sign of frustration): Okay Flo. Take a break.

(Cut to a succession of teams successfully getting the clue from Phileas Fogg: Joe and Bill, Kevin and Drew, Ken and Gerard, Danny and Oswald, and Linda and Karen)

Mirna (seeing Linda and Karen leaving the Reform Club): Charla! Pick up the pace.

Charla: I'm trying Mirna.

Zach: Flo. Is your finger well?

Flo: No Zach! I need about fifteen more minutes to rest it.

Tyler: Come on BJ! Translate that message.

BJ (talking to Tyler): I got it, I got it. (Handing the translated telegram to Phileas Fogg) Frog man, is this correct?

Phileas Fogg (looking puzzled): Yes it is.

BJ (being handed the clue): Yeah! Thank you Mr. Frog man.

(Cut to BJ and Tyler exiting the Reform Club as Charla and Mirna and Flo and Zach look downtrodden)

Tyler (reading the clue): Travel to the building where the British Parliament meets. What do you think BJ?

BJ: Let's see. The British Empire is run by the monarchy. So that means that the British Parliament is at Buckingham Palace.

Tyler (climbing into the driver seat of the carriage): Let's go and meet the queen. T-Tow horsy!

(Cut to Rob and Amber arriving at the Palace of Westminster, spotting the cluebox at the foot of Big Ben)

Rob (talking to Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson): Wait in the carriage for us. Come on, Amber.

(Cut to Rob taking the clue out of the cluebox and reading it)

Rob (reading the clue): Assemble two penny-farthings from your labeled pile, and ride your completed penny-farthings to the pit stop at Buckingham Palace.

Phil: Teams will put together two penny-farthings by following a series of instructions. If their penny-farthings are deemed operational by an expert, teams will ride their penny-farthings to Buckingham Palace. This official residence of the British monarchy is the pit stop for this leg of the race. The last team to check in here will be eliminated.

Amber (beginning to organize the penny-farthing parts as Rob begins to assemble the penny-farthing itself): Okay. We need a systematic method in putting this crazy contraption together.

Rob (talking to Amber while putting the penny-farthing together): We got it, Amber. (Sees Colin and Christie and Dustin and Kandice coming) Oh boy.

(Cut back to the Reform Club as Charla has mastered the telegraph, with Mirna now struggling to translate it. Meanwhile, Flo is still having problems with the telegraph)

Mirna: It's a race against time to beat Flo and Zach. I bet Zach would breeze right through the translation part.

Zach: Come on Flo! We can sweep past Charla and Mirna if you're able to write down the code.

(Cut to BJ and Tyler's carriage parking in front of Buckingham Palace, with the Queen's guards standing in a single-file line on each side of the carpeted ground leading to the entrance)

BJ (running with Tyler on the carpeted ground): Let's go inside Buckingham Palace, Tyler.

Tyler: Right behind you BJ. T-Tow!

(Cut to BJ and Tyler running up a flight of stairs to meet Phil Keoghan with Queen Victoria at the pit stop)

Queen Victoria: Welcome to London, United Kingdom.

BJ and Tyler: Thank you.

Phil: BJ and Tyler. You are the first team to arrive.

BJ (high-fiving Tyler): Yeah! We did it!

Phil: However, this is not the meeting place for the British Parliament.

(Cut to BJ and Tyler's looks of horror)

Phil: You need to read your clue correctly and complete the leg properly before I can check you in.

Tyler: I can't believe it.

BJ: We are not amused.

(Commercial Break)

(Cut to Big Ben ringing its bell at noon, where Rob and Amber, Dustin and Kandice, and Colin and Christie are assembling penny farthings as a crowd gather around watching them)

Colin (sweat flowing down his head): Come on Christie! We can be the first to arrive and beat the egomaniac and his brain-dead wife.

Rob (speaking to a crowd of curious onlookers as he is assembling a penny farthing): Greetings Londoners. I am Rob the Mighty, Rob the Great, Rob the Most Highest. My wife and I are now assembling these transporters as a means of reaching your most excellent ruler, Queen Victoria.

(Cut to Rob attaching the final piece of the penny farthing and standing up as he continues his speech while Colin is fuming in the background)

Rob (getting onto the penny farthing as Amber is getting onto her penny farthing): And now, most glorious Londoners. We are off to our destiny: Buckingham Palace. The center of this enlightened empire. As to you, Sherlock Holmes and his good man Watson, good day and good luck.

(Cut to Rob and Amber riding away from the Palace of Westminster as a multitude of people are clapping and chasing after him in giddy)

Colin (voice-over): Rob is such an arrogant little man. He believes that making a few good speeches and showing smugness is a sign of a good racer. Well. I'll prove to him what a true racer really is on the Amazing Race.

Kandice: Hey Colin. Can we work together again so that we can finish this task quicker?

Colin: Sure thing, Kandice.

Kandice (voice-over): Dustin and I are playing a strategic game in which we will fly under the radar by being helpful to other people and not be overtly competitive. Hopefully, we can conserve our energy and stamina for the latter half of the race, where things will be especially tough.

(Cut to BJ and Tyler walking out of Buckingham Palace in bitter disappointment)

Tyler: I can't believe we're this stupid!

BJ: No kidding, Tyler. Let's ask people about the location of the British Parliament.

BJ (walking up to one of the Queen's guards): Excuse me. Can you please tell me where the British Parliament is? (Seeing no response from the guard): Hello? Hello? Earth to stationary guard. Never mind.

Tyler: BJ. I got the location of the British Parliament. It's at the Palace of Westminster. Let's go BJ.

(Cut to Colin and Christie and Dustin and Kandice finishing the assembly of the penny farthing)

Dustin: Our alliance has once again proven itself useful.

Colin (climbing onto the penny farthing): Let's catch up to the egomaniac.

(Cut to Colin and Christie and Dustin and Kandice leaving just as Ken and Gerard, Joe and Bill, Danny and Oswald, Kevin and Drew, and Linda and Karen are arriving at the Palace of Westminster)

Kevin: Made it to the Parliament building.

Drew (picking up the penny farthing parts): Let's get assembling.

Linda: Just like putting together a jigsaw puzzle with your child back home.

Karen: Imagine how they would see us now, putting together a complex penny farthing in the middle of the greatest city on earth.

(Cut to BJ and Tyler arriving at the Palace of Westminster looking disheveled, yet relieved)

Tyler: Looks like everybody's here except for Charla and Mirna and Flo and Zach.

BJ: We're still in it Tyler!

(Cut to Mirna finally decoding the message of the telegraph)

Mirna (announcing her triumph): By my most clever deduction skills and by the virtue of having the most brilliant mind of the modern age, I now present to you, most noble Phileas Fogg, the message.

Phileas Fogg (feeling a sense of pride): This is correct.

Mirna (looking ecstatic): Thank you, Mr. Fogg (hugging him in the process).

Phileas Fogg (looking confused and dazed): Thank you. Can you let me go now?

Mirna (letting go of Fogg as he is straightening his suit): Sorry. Let's go Charla.

Flo (looking satisfied): I finally got it down.

Zach: Good girl. I'll have this translated in no time.

Mirna (grasping Charla's hand and running): Charla! Zach's going to translate it in a flash. We must get to the Palace of Westminster at once!

(Cut to Rob and Amber riding their penny farthings through the streets of London)

Rob: I think we must've taken a wrong way. Don't worry. We'll get back on track soon.

(Cut to Colin and Christie and Dustin and Kandice riding their penny farthings at high speeds)

Colin: We're going to make it. We're going to pass them and reach Buckingham Palace first.

(Cut to a first person shot of the camera running between the Queen's guards at Buckingham Palace and reaching the pit stop where Phil and Queen Victoria are standing at)

Queen Victoria: Welcome to London, United Kingdom.

Rob and Amber: Thank you.

Phil: Rob and Amber. You're team number one.

(Cut to Rob and Amber jumping with joy)

Phil: And I got some good news for you. As the winners for this leg of the race, you won an enormous National Geographic globe of the world.

Rob (voice-over): I don't care whether I have friends on the race or not, I'm just here to win the race as one of the greatest racers in human history. And if anyone else disagrees with my opinion, well tough luck.

(Cut to Colin and Christie and Dustin and Kandice running up to the pit stop)

Phil (looking at the satisfied faces of Colin and Christie and Dustin and Kandice): Colin and Christie. You're team number two. Dustin and Kandice. You're team number three.

(Cut to the Palace of Westminster as Charla and Mirna arrive just as Joe and Bill and Linda and Karen are leaving on their penny farthings)

Mirna: Charla. We still have time to catch up.

Joe (pedaling the penny farthing): This penny farthing looks unstable to me. Let's hold hands while we're riding it.

Bill: Good idea Joe.

Karen (riding with Linda): I can't believe we're so high up on these penny farthings. Imagine our kids seeing us on these penny farthings.

(Cut to Ken and Gerard holding up the penny farthing parts with incomprehension)

Gerard: Put this wheel into this bar. Put this handle onto this bar. Golly, Ken. This is like putting together a human skeleton, with us having put the head onto the foot. Obviously, you can't have your brain at the same place you walk.

Ken: I concur, Gerard.

(Cut to Kevin and Drew finishing the assembly of their penny farthing)

Drew: Who says that two New York City boys can't put something together in one piece?

Kevin (climbing onto the penny farthing): We just proved them wrong. Now let's get rolling to Buckingham Palace.

(Cut to Joe and Bill heading up to the pit stop)

Phil: Joe and Bill. You're team number four.

(Cut to Linda and Karen heading up to the pit stop)

Phil: Linda and Karen. You're team number five.

Linda and Karen (excitedly): No way!

(Cut to Kevin and Drew heading up to the pit stop)

Phil: Kevin and Drew. You're team number six.

Drew: Good place for us today, Kevin.

Kevin (clapping Drew's hand): I agree, Drew.

(Cut to Zach figuring out that the message was God Save the Queen)

Phileas Fogg: This is correct. (Sees Flo about to hug him) Don't hug me.

Zach (walking out of the Reform Club): Come on Flo. We can still catch up to the rest of the racers.

Flo (drinking a cup of Earl Grey tea as she follows Zach to the horse-drawn): This English tea is the only thing keeping me sane during this leg of the race.

(Cut to Ken and Gerard and BJ and Tyler climbing onto their penny farthings)

Ken (talking to Gerard): We finally got together this skeleton. Now let's ride these parts to Buckingham Palace.

BJ (riding the penny farthing with Tyler): Good thing we took that human anatomy class. Off to Buckingham Palace for the second time in one day.

(Cut to Charla and Mirna and Danny and Oswald struggling with assembly their penny farthing)

Oswald (rubbing his hands together): Ayos mio! This is much harder than it should be.

Danny (smiling): Does this thing come with insurance if this crazy contraption falls apart while we're riding it?

Charla: Mirna. The bolts here are not right, and the wheels are in the wrong place.

Mirna: Charla relax. Flo and Zach are not even here.

(Cut to Flo and Zach arriving at the Palace of Westminster as Big Ben chimes)

Mirna and Charla: Oh no.

(Cut to Danny and Oswald finishing their penny farthings and leaving)

Mirna: Danny and Oswald just finished. We got to pick up the pace Charla.

(Cut to Ken and Gerard arriving at the pit stop)

Phil: Ken and Gerard. You're team number seven.

Ken and Gerard: Yeah!

(Cut to BJ and Tyler arriving at the pit stop)

Phil: BJ and Tyler. You're team number eight.

BJ: Guess we hustled our way through all the earlier difficulties to make it here to the pit stop.

(Cut to the Palace of Westminster where Charla and Mirna and Flo and Zach are fighting their way to reach the pit stop first)

Mirna: Look Charla. Flo isn't even doing anything. Zach is assembling two entire penny farthings by himself.

Charla: We're a much better team than Flo and Zach. We have better teamwork and greater urge to win.

Zach (looking at Flo as she looks exhausted): Flo. Just sit there drinking your English tea while I assemble these brutes against Charla and Mirna.

Flo: Zach. You're having trouble with the pedal. Come on, you love to build stuff.

(Cut to the penny farthing expert examining Charla and Mirna's penny farthings)

Penny farthing expert: Not safe.

Mirna (exasperated): What do you mean not safe? I placed every single bolt and wheel on this vehicle.

Charla: Wait. These bolts are in completely wrong places. Let's take them out and put them in the right places.

Mirna (unscrewing several bolts from the penny farthing): Let's go Charla. Let's go.

(Cut to the penny farthing expert examining Flo and Zach's penny farthing)

Penny farthing expert: Not safe.

Zach: I don't get it. (Disassembling part of the penny farthing) Let's me look over it again.

(Cut to Charla and Mirna putting together the last parts of the penny farthing)

Mirna: Charla. Hand me those bolts. (After being handed the bolts) Now hand me that large wheel Charla. (Placing the enormous wheel onto the penny farthing) At last, we can go to the pit stop. (Sees Zach making good progress on the second penny farthing) And just in time to. (Climbing up to the penny farthing with Charla on the second smaller one) Come on Charla. Onto the pit stop.

(Cut to Danny and Oswald arriving at the pit stop)

Phil: Danny and Oswald. You're team number nine.

(Cut to Zach finishing up the second penny-farthing with Charla and Mirna having just left)

Zach: Alright. I'm done.

Flo (standing up and reading the clue): Pedal yourself to the next pit stop Buckingham Palace. Let's go. (Sees Zach taking off his coat) Zach!

Flo (looking frustrated): Penny farthings complete. We're last. And he decides he wants to take off his coat. We could get in front of Charla and Mirna at this point.

(Cut to Charla and Mirna riding through the streets of London)

Charla: Where's Buckingham Palace?

Mirna (Sees a British Prime Minister Robert Cecil of Salisbury giving a speech in front of a crowd of people): Let's ask him.

Prime Minister Robert Cecil of Salisbury: My fellow Britons. It is of the great interest of this great nation to consider increasing our influence in the Mediterranean as a means of protecting the welfare of this glorious empire. We shall increase the Royal Navy to reach a number greater than that of France and Russia. By securing the Suez Canal and the other seas of the world, I hope to extend the lifespan of the empire by at least another century, continuing the legitimacy of Pax Britannia throughout the entire world.

Mirna (fighting her way through the crowd): Excuse me. Can you please tell me the location of Buckingham Palace?

Prime Minister Robert Cecil of Salisbury (looking surprised): Well yes, young lady. It's right next to St. James' Park on the way down this road.

Charla (also fighting her way through the crowd: Thank you.

Prime Minister Robert Cecil of Salisbury (seeing Charla and Mirna continuing to ride on their penny farthings to Buckingham Palace): What a strange bunch of fellows!

(Cut to Flo and Zach riding their penny farthings to the pit stop)

Flo (frustrated at Zach as she is riding her penny farthing): We lost. We lost this entire race.

Zach (trying to be optimistic): Come on! Come on!

Flo (feeling pessimistic): We did, Zach! Everyone is in front of us!

Zach: We can still beat Charla and Mirna.

Flo (getting more frustrated): We can't because you decided to take off your coat.

(Cut to Charla and Mirna riding through the streets of London to the pit stop. Suddenly, Charla falls off her penny farthing)

Mirna (getting off the penny farthing and running to Charla): Charla! Are you all right?

Charla (getting up from the ground): I'm fine Mirna. Just need to adjust myself and get back. Ah. The penny farthing is broken.

Mirna (frustrated): Oh Charla. Now we're going to fall way behind.

Charla (sarcastically): Yeah. I fell over on purpose.

(Cut to Flo and Zach pedaling as hard as they possibly can on their penny farthing, cutting back to Charla and Mirna as Mirna has successfully fixed Charla's broken penny farthing)

Mirna (back on her penny farthing): Let's go Charla.

(Cut back and forth to Flo and Zach and Charla and Mirna as they pedal to Buckingham Palace, with Charla and Mirna arriving there first and disembarking off their penny farthings)

Mirna (seeing Queen's guards standing on each side of the carpet leading into Buckingham Palace): We made it, Charla!

Charla (placing her hand into Mirna's hand): Hold my hand.

(Cut to Flo and Zach arriving at Buckingham Palace as they see Charla and Mirna running on the carpet and into the palace itself)

Zach (trying to comfort Flo): Flo.

Flo (bitter): So stupid!

Zach: We're going to the pit stop. Let's push it while we can.

Flo (crying as she sees Charla and Mirna heading to Buckingham Palace): The entrance to the palace is over there.

(Cut to Charla and Mirna making their way to the entrance)

Mirna: Come on Charla!

Charla: I'm coming Mirna.

(Cut to Zach and Flo reaching the carpet with the Queen's guards at each side)

Flo (crying): Charla and Mirna are already there! There's no way we can catch up to them.

Zach: How not? We're stronger than them. We caught them on the penny farthings. Come on.

Flo (crying): What?

Zach: We can make it.

Flo: That's Charla and Mirna.

Zach: They're still running, come on.

Flo (in defeat): We're losing anyway so I might as well walk.

(Cut to Zach attempting to catch up to Charla and Mirna as Flo takes off her hat and throwing it into the air in frustration, hitting one of the Queen's guards in the process. Cut to Charla and Mirna inside Buckingham Palace)

Mirna (running up some flights of stairs): Are Flo and Zach following us?

Charla (looking back): No.

(Cut to Flo and Zach also inside Buckingham Palace)

Flo: We lost Zach. What's the point of getting exhaustive over it? It's humiliating. I got beaten by a dwarf.

(Cut to Charla and Mirna about to reach the pit stop)

Mirna: I can't wait to meet Phil. He's gorgeous.

Phil (seeing Charla and Mirna on the pit stop mat): Charla and Mirna. You're team number 10. You're still in the Amazing Race.

Charla and Mirna Yay!

Phil (being hugged by Mirna): What made you want to go onto the race, Charla?

Charla: I just want to prove to the world that little people can do the same things that normal-sized people can do.

Phil: Well that's a very noble goal for you to achieve on the Amazing Race.

(Cut to Zach and Flo walking up to the pit stop)

Queen Victoria: Welcome to London, United Kingdom.

Phil (seeing Flo and Zach arriving at the pit stop): Flo and Zach. You're the last team to arrive. I'm sorry to tell you that you have been eliminated from the race.

Flo (apologetically) I'm so sorry, Zach.

Zach (looking guilty): I just had some problems with the penny farthings.

Flo: It's my fault, Zach. If I hadn't just given up while we were running, we might have finished before Charla and Mirna

Zach: To tell you the truth, I think Flo and I are better off as just friends.

Flo: I agree Zach.

Flo (voice-over): I agree with Zach that we're not meant for each other. He's a strong, independent person, and I'm just not that type. Perhaps the Amazing Race taught me to not be a crybaby and a whiner for the rest of my life.

(End Credits)

Phil (voice-over): Stay tune for scenes from our next episode.

(Commercial Break)

Phil (voice-over): On the next episode of the Amazing Race.

(Cut to the Eiffel Tower in Paris)

Phil (voice-over): Teams travel to one of the greatest cities on earth, where they will take a leap of faith off the world's tallest building.

Kevin (sees Drew gliding off the Eiffel Tower): Fly you fat bastard, Fly!

Phil (voice-over): And Colin confronts Rob in the battle of the Alpha Males.

Colin (face to face with Rob): I'm better and smarter than you. (Takes out a green journal) I have my own personal journal to prove it to you.

Rob (smiling at Colin as he pulls out a red journal): Well mind's bigger than yours.

[END]

**A/N: Please review my Amazing Race story as a way of improving the story itself. Provide me with advice on how the race should be written and if the racers are in character. It would be helpful for me and for the readers. **


	2. Ladies and Gentlemen, Miss New York

**Disclaimer: I do not** **own the Amazing Race. It is the property of CBS**

The Amazing Race 1889: An Epic Story Based on the First Eleven Seasons

Episode 2: Ladies and Gentlemen, Miss New York!

(Shot of Bethesda Fountain in Central Park and racers running up a flight of stone steps)

Phil (voice-over): Previously on the Amazing Race, eleven teams departed from New York City to London on the greatest race in humankind. Along the way, Colin became rivals with Rob.

Rob (speaking to a crowd of curious onlookers as he is assembling a penny farthing): Greetings Londoners. I am Rob the Mighty, Rob the Great, Rob the Most Highest. My wife and I are now assembling these transporters as a means of reaching your most excellent ruler, Queen Victoria.

(Cut to Rob attaching the final piece of the penny farthing and standing up as he continues his speech while Colin is fuming in the background)

Phil (voice-over): Meanwhile, BJ and Tyler got lost while looking for Westminster Palace.

Phil: BJ and Tyler. You are the first team to arrive.

BJ (high-fiving Tyler): Yeah! We did it!

Phil: However, this is not the meeting place for the British Parliament.

(Cut to BJ and Tyler's looks of horror)

Phil (voice-over): At the Palace of Westminster, Charla and Mirna and Flo and Zach raced each other in a race not to be eliminated.

Flo (standing up and reading the clue): Pedal yourself to the next pit stop Buckingham Palace. Let's go. (Sees Zach taking off his coat) Zach!

Flo (looking frustrated): Penny farthings complete. We're last. And he decides he wants to take off his coat. We could get in front of Charla and Mirna at this point.

(Cut to Charla and Mirna riding through the streets of London)

Charla: Where's Buckingham Palace?

Phil (voice-over): In the end, Charla and Mirna made it first.

Phil (seeing Charla and Mirna on the pit stop mat): Charla and Mirna. You're team number 10. You're still in the Amazing Race.

Phil: And in the end, Zach and Flo came up short.

Phil (seeing Flo and Zach arriving at the pit stop): Flo and Zach. You're the last team to arrive. I'm sorry to tell you that you have been eliminated from the race.

Phil (voice-over): Ten teams remain. Who will be eliminated next?

(Introduction sequence: Charla and Mirna, Rob and Amber, Ken and Gerard, Kevin and Drew, BJ and Tyler, Joe and Bill, Colin and Christie, Linda and Karen, Danny and Oswald, Dustin and Kandice, Flo and Zach)

(Cut to shot of London, with its smokestacks and its steamships along the River Thames. Cut to Phil standing in front of Buckingham Palace in the middle of the Changing of the Guards)

Phil: This is London, United Kingdom, the epicenter of the empire where the sun never sets. And the symbolic center of this empire, Buckingham Palace. This home of the majestic British monarchy was the first pit stop in a race around the world. (Clip of all of the teams eating with Queen Victoria in the dining room at Buckingham Palace) At each pit stop, teams have the chance to eat, sleep, and mingle with the rest of the teams. At this pit stop, Rob has attracted the attention of Queen Victoria, much to the dislike of Colin.

Queen Victoria: So tell me, Rob. What will your speech be when you win the Amazing Race?

Rob (smiling in front of Queen Victoria as Colin looks on in jealousy): Well. It would go something like this. I, the all-powerful Rob, have completed the greatest race in human history. I now stand before you as the man who is bestowed with the same title of the extraordinary Phileas Fogg. And it was I alone who won the Amazing Race.

Amber (hitting Rob in the arm, knocking off his top hat in the process): Don't forget me, Rob.

Rob (surprised): Oh! And Amber too.

Colin (speaking to the camera every other racer is eating): I can't believe Rob. He has an ego the size of the British Empire. I can't wait to get into his face and tell him off.

(Cut to Mirna trying to convince Charla to eat the pudding on the table)

Mirna: Charla! Charla! Charla! Eat the pudding on the table.

Charla: I don't like pudding, Mirna.

Mirna: Charla! Just eat the damn pudding.

Colin (talking to the camera): I also can't stand that woman either. Does she ever shut her mouth? Looks like I have two mortal enemies on this race. I will win this race, and I will show both of them that I, Colin, am the only individual worthy to compete in the Amazing Race around this vast planet of ours.

(Cut to shot of Rob of Amber running up to the pit stop)

Phil (voice-over): Rob and Amber, who arrived at 12:30 P.M., will depart first at 12:30 A.M.

(Cut to Rob and Amber opening their clue in front of Buckingham Palace)

Rob: Travel to Christopher Wren's most iconic building in London.

Phil (voice-over): Teams will travel to Christopher Wren's most iconic London building, St. Paul's Cathedral. Once there, teams will ascend up to the top of the cathedral and search above for a race flag flying above the under-construction Tower Bridge. It is here that teams will find their next clue.

Amber (getting into their horse-drawn carriage with Rob): Okay, let's go.

Rob (voice-over): I think the other teams now fear us because I am the dominant man in the race, with my wife hanging by my side with an equally threatening presence. Hopefully, our team can continue to blow these cannon-fodders into dust.

Rob (driving the horse-drawn carriage): I know exactly where we're supposed to go: St. Paul's Cathedral.

(Cut to Colin and Christie and Dustin and Kandice opening their clue at the same time)

Colin (speaking to Christie as well as Dustin and Kandice as all four of them are getting into their respective horse-carriages): I guess we're going together to St. Paul's Cathedral.

Colin (voice-over): I like Dustin and Kandice. They're a strong team that would become valuable allies in the race. So far, they have helped us tremendously in leaving from the Tower of London first and in assembling the penny-farthings. I hope that we continue this partnership in overthrowing the common threats that would defeat us on the race course, namely other dangerous teams.

(Cut to Rob and Amber arriving at St. Paul's Cathedral and finding out that it is closed)

Rob: Amber. I have bad news. St. Paul's Cathedral opens at 8:00 A.M.

(Cut to Colin and Christie as well as Dustin and Kandice arriving shortly afterwards, with Rob looking disappointed)

Colin (greeting Rob with contempt): Good morning everyone! I'm glad that we all evened the battlefield. Let us pause here to strategize our battle tactics. I'm sure some of us are unworthy being here at all with their dimwitted brains.

(Cut to 8:00 A.M. with all of the teams waiting at St. Paul's Cathedral that also included Joe and Bill, Linda and Karen, Kevin and Drew, Ken and Gerard, B.J. and Tyler, Danny and Oswald, and Charla and Mirna)

Drew (talking to the camera): Right now, we're about to enter one of the most beautiful buildings in Great Britain. I'm excited to be a witness to another fine institution of the British.

Linda (talking to the camera): Imagine what our kids will say if they knew we were about to enter St. Paul's Cathedral.

(Cut to the doors being open and the racers running up some flight of stairs to the dome of St. Paul's Cathedral)

Colin (seeing Rob and Amber running quicker than anyone else): Rob is beating us. Come on Christie! (Sees Charla and Mirna struggling to get up the stairs) At least we're beating the midget and the harpy.

Mirna (looking down at Charla as she is extending her hand): Charla. Hold my hand. We can make it up these stairs.

Charla (voice-over): Being short has its difficulties. But I'm not going to let my stature keep me back from undertaking a race around the world.

Rob (reaching the top of the dome and extending his miniature telescope): Let me see where I can find the race flag.

(Cut to Colin also extending his miniature telescope, of which is slightly longer than Rob's)

Tyler (looking through the miniature telescope): Hey! I can see my house from here.

Kevin (talking to Drew while looking through a telescope): I can Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace. I wonder where I can get more English tea.

Oswald (talking to Danny): I'm glad to be sightseeing the glorious city of London with my best friend.

Danny (talking to Oswald): I'm share the same feeling with you, Oswald.

Ken (talking to Gerard as he is pointing his telescope downward): Everyone below us look like little ants. Ants dressed in top hats and nice suits.

Gerard: I agree, Kenny.

Rob: I feel like the Duke of Wellington surveying the battlefield against the mighty Napoleon.

(Cut to Colin looking at Rob with a competitive stare)

Rob and Colin (finding the race flag on top of the under-construction Tower Bridge): Eureka!

(Cut to Rob and Amber as well as Colin and Christie running down the dome at the same time and climbing back into their horse-drawn carriages)

Rob (yelling at Colin racing besides him in a horse-drawn carriage): I'm going to beat you, Colin.

Colin (yelling back at Rob): Not if I can help it, Rob.

(Cut back to the top of St. Paul's Cathedral, where Charla and Mirna are looking flustered)

Mirna: Charla. We need to pick up the pace.

Charla (adjusting her telescope while standing on a box): I trying, Mirna. (Sees Linda and Karen finding the race flag) Linda and Karen are done.

Joe (also seeing Linda and Karen): We spied on the Bowling Moms, and they were pointing in that general direction. Bill, let's point our telescope over there.

Bill (pointing his telescope in the indicated direction): I see it! Let's get out of here before anyone else sees us.

Joe: Too late, Bill. Dustin and Kandice caught us in the act, and they also found the race flag. They're heading down with us.

Mirna: Everyone is beating us, Charla.

(Cut to BJ and Tyler, Kevin and Drew, Ken and Gerard, and Danny and Oswald also finding the race flag)

Charla (looking nervous): Oh no, Mirna! We're the last ones here, as usual.

Mirna: We need to pick up the pace Charla if we're going to remain in the race.

(Cut to Rob and Amber arriving at the cluebox next to the under-construction Tower Bridge)

Amber (opening the clue as Colin and Christie are reaching the cluebox): Travel to Paris, France.

Phil (voice-over): Teams will travel to the romantic and illustrious city of Paris. Once there, they will travel to the Eiffel Tower, the centerpiece of this year's World Fair. It is at the foot of the tower that teams will find their next clue.

Rob: Off to Paris we go, Amber.

Christie (reading the clue out loud): Travel to Paris, France.

Colin (walking with Christie back to their horse-drawn carriage): I always wanted to go to Paris, the city of the greatest people on earth.

(Cut to Linda and Karen, Dustin and Kandice, and Joe and Bill also arriving at Tower Bridge, opening their clues in the process)

Linda: Travel to Paris, France.

Dustin: Oh la la! Going to Paris has always been a dream of mine.

Joe: It's a good thing that we lived in Paris for two years. It's going to give us a huge advantage, Bill.

(Cut to Charla and Mirna at St. Paul's Cathedral)

Charla: At last! I found it. The race flag is at that unfinished bridge.

Mirna: Good work, Charla. Let's get out of here.

(Cut to Kevin and Drew, Ken and Gerard, B.J. and Tyler, and Danny and Oswald reaching the cluebox and opening their clue)

Gerard: My skills in speaking French are somewhat lacking, my brother.

Ken: I only know words like wee, non, merci, and au revoir.

B.J.: We're going to Paris, Tyler. Let's meet some crazy Frenchmen.

Kevin: Never in my lifetime had I imagined going to France.

Danny: I heard Paris has the finest selection of cologne and clothes. Let's go shopping there afterwards, Oswald.

(Cut to Charla and Mirna reaching the cluebox and reading their clue)

Mirna (reading the clue): Travel to Paris, France

Charla (seeing Danny and Oswald departing on their horse-drawn carriage): Look Mirna! It's Danny and Oswald. We're still in this race.

Mirna (climbing back onto the horse-drawn carriage): Off to the nearest train station.

(Cut to the Waterloo train station where a congregation of people are waving American and British flags)

Congregation of Britons (chanting): Rob! Rob! All hail Rob, survivor from Boston.

Rob (appreciative): Thank you, my fellow Britons. I, Boston Rob, will be the first man to circumnavigate the globe in the greatest competition in human history, with my wife being right beside me in this glorious victory. (Shaking the hands of his admirers as he sees Colin and Christie arriving at the train station) Block that gentleman and his wife from entering the train station. He's going to stop my inevitable victory.

(Cut to a crowd of people blocking the entrance of the train station as Rob and Amber hurry into it)

Colin: Hey! What's going on?

Christie: We're being blocked! Who's behind all of this?

Colin (seeing Rob waving to him with a smile on his face): Rob!

(Cut to a group of British policemen breaking the crowd of people up)

British policeman (blowing his whistle): Okay people. Get out the way.

(Cut to Colin and Christie reaching the inside of the train station and purchasing their tickets from the ticket office)

Christie (looking at the tickets): I guess we're all on the same train to Dover.

(Cut to Colin confronting Rob)

Colin: What's the big idea, you simpleton from Boston? What were you thinking when you tried to block me from entering the train station?

Rob: I don't know what you're talking about.

Colin: Come on, Rob. Stop lying.

Rob: Are you accusing me of being a liar?

Colin: Yes.

Rob: Well. It just got personal now. Look like this race will mostly be between the two of us.

Colin: It makes me noxious having to listen to you, Rob.

Rob: It makes me noxious even talking to you.

Colin (face to face with Rob): I'm better and smarter than you. (Takes out a green journal) I have my own personal journal to prove it to you.

Rob (smiling at Colin as he pulls out a red journal): Well mind's bigger than yours.

(Cut to the rest of the teams except Charla and Mirna arriving at the Waterloo train station)

Joe (pulling Bill away from the rest of the racers): Bill. Listen to me. We must run this race on our own. Do not go around mingling with the rest of the racers. Let's go over to this counter and purchase some guidebooks about the British Empire.

Bill (holding Joe's hand as they are walking to the counter): Good idea, Joe. It would be a guarantee that we would be traveling to areas controlled by the large and expansive British Empire.

Kandice: Dustin. Look at this Daily Telegraph newspaper. It states that Paris is currently holding a public international event known as the Exposition Universelle, commemorating the best of humanity's technological and cultural progress.

Dustin: It would be so much fun participating in this world's fair.

(Cut to every teams boarding the train to Dover on route to Paris as Charla and Mirna arrive at the train station)

Mirna: Charla, hurry! The train is about to leave. We can still make it if we hurry.

Charla: I'm coming, Mirna.

Inspector Fix (approaching Charla and Mirna): Excuse me, madams. I am Inspector Fix from Scotland Yard. Have you seen a man who (unable to finish question due to Mirna interrupting him)?

Mirna (not seeing the photograph): Sorry inspector. I don't have time for this. My train leaves in just a few minutes.

Inspector Fix (looking confused): Ma'am. It would take only a few moments.

Charla (seeing the train about to leave): Mirna! We have to go.

Inspector Fix (becoming desperate): Please! I need to catch the robber of the Bank of England, or else I'll be reduced to working at a desk job!

Mirna (becoming frantic): We have to go now, inspector! Nice meeting you, though.

(Cut to Charla and Mirna reaching the ticket office and urging the lady in the office to hand over the train tickets)

Mirna (talking urgently to the ticket lady): Please ma'am. I need to go to a doctor in France.

Charla (having the complete attention of the ticket lady): I need the doctor too.

Ticket lady (working to get the tickets): Okay. Here are you tickets to get on the train for your medical emergency. Hurry, you don't have much time.

Charla (voice-over): When people see me, they usually try to help me because of my disability.

(Cut to Charla and Mirna heading towards the train to Dover)

Mirna: Charla! Let's get to the platform for the train to Dover. Put your feet to the wheels.

Charla (extracting some wheels from her shoes): Got them, Mirna!

Mirna (pushing some walking bystanders out of the way as she holds Charla's hand while she is rolling on her shoes' wheels): Out of the way. We're in a hurry. Sorry, coming through. Excuse me, sir. Excuse me, ma'am.

(Cut to the train platform for the train to Dover where Charla and Mirna are now)

Railroad employees (blowing their whistles): All-board everybody. The train is leaving right now.

Mirna (seeing the train departing from the station): Oh no, Charla! Get onto the train right now.

(Cut to Charla rolling with all her might to the departing train and reaching the stairs leading up to the brake van in the very back of the train)

Charla (holding out her hand as Mirna runs for the rapidly-speeding train): Mirna! Take my hand.

Mirna (her hand outstretched to reach Charla's hand): I can't reach it!

(Cut to Inspector Fix running up to Mirna and attempting to grab her)

Inspector Fix: Wait! Come back here! I need your help!

Charla (seeing the end of the platform): Hurry! The platform is about to end.

Mirna (seeing the end of the platform): Alright, Charla! I'm going to jump for it.

(Cut to Mirna jumping with all her might to reach Charla's hand just as the train leaves the platform at a high-speed)

(Commercial Break)

(Cut to the Waterloo train station where a train is departing for Dover as Charla and Mirna are attempting to get on it)

Charla (seeing the end of the platform): Hurry! The platform is about to end.

Mirna (seeing the end of the platform): Alright, Charla! I'm going to jump for it.

(Cut to Mirna jumping with all her might to reach Charla's hand just as the train leaves the platform at a high-speed)

Charla (grabbing Mirna's hand): Gotcha! (Pulling Mirna onto the train): You're made it!

Mirna (relieved): That was close. I'm so glad to have a cousin like you, Charla.

Charla: Thanks, Mirna.

(Cut to Inspector Fix jumping to reach the brake van and missing it, and instead, he lands outside the platform where he is fine, but a little upset)

Inspector Fix (seeing Charla and Mirna on the train and dusting off after his fall): Look like this assignment is going to be more difficult than it appears to be. Look like I will be taking a little trip as well.

(Cut to the inside of the train of the train where the rest of the teams are happy that Charla and Mirna didn't make it)

Colin (talking to Christie): Man I'm glad that Charla and Mirna didn't make it. Those two are the most annoying people in the world.

Rob (talking to Amber): One less team means that we can just relax during this leg of the race.

(Cut to Charla and Mirna entering the room where the rest of the teams are at: some showing bitter disappointment, others expressing surprise and excitement)

Linda and Karen (high-fiving Charla and Mirna): Good job, you two. How on earth did you make it on in time?

Charla: Oh. Mirna just ran after a high-speed train, and I just pulled her on with my bare hands.

(Cut to everyone showing a sense of amazement and awe at such a bold move. Everyone except for Colin and Christie as well as Rob and Amber)

Rob (showing frustration to Amber): Man. I thought we could just breeze through this leg. We're all even again.

Colin (slamming his top hat onto the table and placing his hands on his face in anger): Oh I hate that woman so much. So just yells Charla, Charla over and over again.

(Cut to Charla and Mirna sitting down at a table)

Charla: Look like we're in this race for the long run.

Mirna (high-fiving Charla): Let's make that a reality, Charla.

(Cut to the map of the world)

Phil: All teams are heading towards the British city of Dover. Once there, they are departing from Dover to the French city of Calais by way of steamer. From Calais, they will take a train to Paris, the French capital.

(Cut to the teams on the train on route to Paris, with Rob talking to the train conductor about not opening the back section of the train)

Rob: In Paris, open the doors in the front section of the train. Do not open the doors for the back section. (Rob hands out a bunch of francs to the conductor and to several train attendants) Perfect. (Seeing the conductor and the train attendant agreeing to his plan) Merci bocu.

(Cut to Rob meeting up with Amber, B.J. and Tyler, and Joe and Bill)

Rob (talking to the camera about his plan): B.J. and Tyler, Joe and Bill, and Amber and I all clipped in a couple of francs to bride the conductor not to open the back section of the train, with him only opening the front section of the train. What the others don't know is that I didn't clipped in my share of the bride, and I placed it back into my pocket. (Laughing quietly) I'm only using their money to exploit them for my own benefit.

(Cut to the train reaching the Gare du Nord train station, with the train opening the doors in the front. Rob and Amber, B.J. and Tyler, and Joe and Bill all rush out the train and to their respective horse-carriages, leaving behind the rest of the racers who are being held by the train attendants)

Train attendant (blocking the door to a group of frantic racers): Wait for one moment, gentlemen and madams. I just want to check your passports.

Mirna (looking furious): Look, mister. I don't have time for such foolishness. Open the door now.

Colin (yelling at the whimpering train conductor): Let's go! I have a race to complete! You've brought shame to your countrymen!

Train conductor (crying): Okay. Okay. You win. (Opening the train door) Get out of here while I weep for bringing shame upon my country that I have never witness since the Franco-Prussian War.

(Cut to the rest of the racers running towards their horse-carriages)

Colin (climbing into the driver seat of the carriage): Man. I can't believe the nerve of some people for wanting to block the train doors.

Mirna (climbing into the driver seat of the carriage): You've got to be kidding me.

(Cut to B.J. and Tyler and Joe and Bill following Rob and Amber on their horse-drawn carriage through the streets of Paris)

Joe (in the driver's seat): I think we can split off from Rob's group and navigate the streets of Paris by ourselves. After all, we lived here for two years.

Bill (in the passenger seat): Good thinking, Joe. Our alliance back at the train was only temporary. From now on, we won't make any more alliances on this race.

Joe (steering the horse-drawn carriage in a different direction from Rob's): Rob doesn't really know the way. Let's face it, Rob is not Jesus.

(Cut to Rob and Amber and B.J. and Tyler reaching the Eiffel Tower, the centerpiece of the Exposition Universelle. Both teams have reached the cluebox and are now opening their clues)

Amber (reading the clue): Roadblock. Who's ready for the thrills of their lives?

Phil (voice-over): A roadblock is a task that only one person may perform. In this roadblock, one team member will climb the many steps of the Eiffel Tower to the very top of it. Once on the top, they will receive their next clue from famous American inventor Thomas Edison, who is currently having lunch with the Eiffel Tower's architect Gustave Eiffel. What teams don't know is that they will be donning a parachute suit and jumping off the Eiffel Tower itself, landing safely on the Champ de Mars. They will be able to open their clue once they are on the ground again.

Amber (talking to Rob): I'm doing it.

Rob (seeing Amber running up the Eiffel Tower): Go Amber, I love you!

B.J. (looking up the Eiffel Tower): I guess I can make it up those flights of stairs.

Tyler (sees B.J. running up the Eiffel Tower): You go B.J., T-Tow!

(Cut to Joe and Bill reaching the Eiffel Tower after getting lost in the streets of Paris)

Bill: You were sure that the Eiffel Tower was near Notre-Dame. How could you miss such a huge pointy thing sticking itself into the sky?

Joe: You do realize that the Eiffel Tower can't be seen everywhere in Paris.

Bill: Never mind, Joe. Here's the cluebox. (Opening the clue and reading it) Roadblock. Who's ready for the thrills of their lives? I guess I'm doing it.

Joe (seeing the rest of the teams arriving at the Eiffel Tower): Hurry up, Bill. I think everyone from the train has just arrived.

(Cut to a succession of teams reaching the cluebox and opening up their clues)

Kevin (talking to Drew): Drew's going to do it.

Charla (talking to Mirna): I'm doing it.

Gerard (talking to Ken): I guess I'm doing it.

Danny (talking to Oswald): I guess I'm doing it, Oswald. You better take me shopping on the next leg as a reward for this task.

Linda (talking to Karen): I can handle it.

Christie (talking to Colin): I'm going for it.

Kandice (talking to Dustin): I can manage it.

(Cut to all of the teams climbing to the top of the Eiffel Tower, with B.J. reaching it first after passing by Amber. He sees Thomas Edison in deep conversation with Gustave Eiffel as they are having lunch in a small room)

B.J. (talking to Thomas Edison): Hi Eddy! Do you have my next clue? (Edison hands over the next clue to B.J.). Thanks man. (Reading the clue that you must don a parachute suit) Oh wow! I'm going to fly off the Eiffel Tower.

(Cut to B.J. putting on his parachute suit as Amber and Kandice, who ran faster than anyone else up the tower, reached the top)

Kandice (putting on her parachute suit as Amber is getting into hers): The view is lovely all the way up here. I can see the people enjoying the Exposition Universelle all the way up here.

B.J. (about to jump off the Eiffel Tower with his arms extended as a crowd of people are watching him from the Champ de Mars): Greetings. I am the Amazing B.J. I am about to jump off the tallest building in human history. I will now say what perhaps will be the last word I will ever say: T-Tow!

(Cut to B.J. jumping off the Eiffel Tower as a congregation of people gasp as he drops down the Eiffel Tower like a rock. Suddenly, B.J. glides over the heads of excited people like a majestic eagle. B.J. has a smile on his face as he lands on the ground with a gentle thud, with a storm of applause invading his ears)

B.J. (speaking to the crowd of people): Thank you. Thank you. Ah. There's my partner Tyler running up to me right now.

Tyler (talking to B.J.): That was amazing B.J.! Do you have the clue? Let's open it!

B.J. (reading the clue out loud): Search the Exposition Universelle for an artist named Vincent van Gogh.

Phil (voice-over): Teams will search the Exposition Universelle for an artist by the name of Vincent van Gogh. He is currently hiding in a crowd of other artists like Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas, and Paul Cézanne. Once teams find Vincent van Gogh, he will give them their next clue.

B.J. (talking to Tyler): Alright, Tyler. Let's go find Vincent van Gogh. (Speaking to the crowd) Thank you for supporting me on my flight from the Eiffel Tower.

(Cut to Charla having a difficult time climbing up the Eiffel Tower)

Charla (panting and sweating): My goodness! It will take ages for me to climb this entire structure. (Sees a Frenchman running up the stairs) Excuse me, sir. (The Frenchman has her full attention) Can you please carry me up to the very top of the tower?

Running Frenchman (carrying Charla in his arms): Sure thing, miss.

(Cut to the other racers looking amazed as the running Frenchman is carrying Charla, moving past them in the process)

Karen (voice-over): Charla and Mirna are at a grave disadvantage.

Linda (voice-over): And their kicking our butts! (Linda and Karen burst out laughing).

(Cut to Amber jumping off the Eiffel Tower as Kandice is preparing herself to jump as well. Meanwhile, the running Frenchman has just reached the top and places Charla onto the floor)

Charla (thanking the running Frenchman): Merci, merci. (Sees Kandice about to jump off the Eiffel Tower) Now it's time to catch up.

Kandice (looking down as she is about to jump): Okay. Just take deep breaths. It will be over before you've even known it.

Dustin (looking up from the Eiffel Tower): You can do it, Kandice!

Kandice: I'm going on three. One, two, three!

(Cut to Kandice jumping off the Eiffel Tower and landing safely on the ground)

Dustin (running up to Kandice and hugging her): Good job, Kandice. I knew you could do it. (Opening the clue and reading it) Search the Exposition Universelle for an artist named Vincent van Gogh.

(Cut to the Eiffel Tower where Charla is putting on her parachute suit as Bill, Christie, Danny arrive in rapid succession)

Charla (looking at the Parisian landscape from the top of the Eiffel Tower): Look out world! Here's a tiny person making a gigantic leap for all the dwarfs out there in the world.

(Cut to Charla leaping off the Eiffel Tower and flying to the ground safely, with tumultuous applause greeting her)

Mirna (hugging Charla): Charla! You were wonderful! I'm so proud of you!

Charla (voice-over): Being small doesn't mean you can't do anything. I'm small, and I just leaped off the tallest structure in the entire world. It proves that little people can do anything they want to do.

(Cut to the Eiffel Tower where Bill, Christie, and Danny have just jumped off the Eiffel Tower as Drew, Gerard, and Linda have made it to the top after being the slowest in walking up the Eiffel Tower)

Drew (holding his knees and panting): Those flights of stairs took a toll on me. I need to catch my breath.

Gerard: Whew! I wonder if there's a donut shop up here. I think the entire trip would be worth it if I got Ken a donut as a gift from running up the Eiffel Tower.

(Cut to the Champ de Mars where Bill, Christie, and Danny have landed and are now reunited with their teammates)

Danny (speaking humorously to Oswald as Bill and Christie are getting out of their parachute suits with assistance from their teammates): Let's not do that again, Oswald. How about we go shopping afterwards as a reward for me doing this crazy task?

Oswald: Sure thing, Danny.

(Cut to Gerard, Drew, and Linda dressed up in parachute suits and preparing to jump off the Eiffel Tower)

Gerard: Oh my! It's a long way up here. I'm going to fly like a bird or fall like a rock. Let's hope physics doesn't fail me now. Here goes nothing. Ah!

(Cut to Gerard falling from the Eiffel Tower and then flying above the Champ de Mars to the excitement of the crowd)

Ken (running up to Gerard and hugging him): That's my brother! He just flew off the Eiffel Tower. That's unprecedented!

(Cut to Drew about to fly off the Eiffel Tower, with Kevin seeing him from the Champ de Mars)

Kevin (cheerful): There's Drew up there. He's about to fly off the Eiffel Tower, that fat bastard.

Drew (flying off the Eiffel Tower): Whoa! Yeah! Oh man! Oh my goodness!

Kevin (sees Drew gliding off the Eiffel Tower): Fly you fat bastard, Fly!

(Cut to Drew landing safely on the ground)

Kevin: Yeah, Drew! A fat bastard can really fly.

(Cut to Linda in her parachute suit and having second thoughts about making the jump)

Linda (nervously): I can't do it.

Karen (looking upward at Linda): Way a go, Linda.

(Cut to Thomas Edison and Gustave Eiffel approaching Linda on the edge of the Eiffel Tower)

Thomas Edison: Just step off and it will be over before you even know it.

Linda (still nervous): I'm looking down right now. This is nuts!

Karen: Come on, Linda.

Gustave Eiffel: You'll be fine okay.

Linda: No. I can't do it.

(Commercial Break)

(Cut to the top of the Eiffel Tower where Linda is about to jump off it and fly to the ground where Karen is waiting)

Linda: I can't do it.

Thomas Edison: I know you can do it. Just imagine yourself on the ground with your best friend, smiling and proud of yourself for accomplishing such a daunting task, like myself inventing the phonograph and the incandescent lamp.

Gustave Eiffel: As you are flying, just think of your children back home. When you're home, you can tell them that you flew off the Eiffel Tower like a bird. Your children will tell that story to their children, and then your grandchildren will tell the same story to their children, and so on for generations to come. It would be an honor if I could serve as the man who not only provided an industrial wonder of the world but also as the man who was able to provide a mother's children with a tale of inspiration and perseverance over fear itself.

Linda (gaining courage): I'm going to fly for my children. Off I go. (Flies off the Eiffel Tower) Ah!

(Cut to Linda leaping off the Eiffel Tower and flying to Karen's astonishment. Linda lands with the largest and most enthusiastic applause out of all the racers, with Thomas Edison and Gustave Eiffel applauding from the top of the Eiffel Tower)

Karen (making her way through a crowd of cheering onlookers): Good girl! You looked like a soaring eagle.

Linda (looking proud): I didn't know I could do it, but I'm glad I did. My children will be amazed of what their mom can do.

(Cut to the Exposition Universelle where the racers are looking for Vincent van Gogh in a fair where there are many artists present)

B.J. (seeing every single team arrive and looking upset): Our lead is gone, and we can't seem to be able to find Vincent van Gogh. (Sees a man painting ballet dancers) Excuse me. Are you Vincent van Gogh?

Edgar Degas: No. I'm Edgar Degas.

Tyler (looking frustration): This is going to take forever.

(Cut to Colin and Christie searching for Vincent van Gogh through a crowd of Impressionist artists, much to Colin's dislike)

Colin (holding his cane as he expresses disgust towards the Impressionist artists): Alas. These Impressionists are blights on the French people. I prefer the French neoclassical paintings earlier in the century. (Pointing his cane at a painting by Claude Monet) That painting looks like someone sneezed on it. (Point his cane at a painting by Pierre-Auguste Renoir) And that painting looks like a piece of … (the Impressionists are looking at him with hatred).

Christie: I think we should find Mister van Gogh and get out of here as soon as we possibly can. (Sees a man painting The Starry Night) Excuse me. Are you Vincent van Gogh?

Vincent van Gogh: Yes I am. Here is your next clue. (Sees Colin) Now get out of my face.

Colin (running towards a safe area away from the Impressionists in order to read his clue): Detour: Fine Dining or Fine Driving.

Phil (voice-over): A detour is a task with two choices, each with their own pros and cons. In this detour, teams will decide on tasks that deal with the culinary and cultural aspects of French society. The choice: Fine Dining or Fine Driving. In Fine Dining, teams will head for the Arc de Triomphe and dine on a fine selection of French cuisines. Once teams have finished eating a huge amount of French food, they will receive their next clue. In Fine Driving, teams will get onto their Benz Patent-motorwagens and drive to the following cultural destinations: Invalides, Notre-Dame, and the Moulin-Rouge. At each destination, teams will take a tag that will indicate that they went to these places. Once teams have traveled to all of these locations, they will travel to the Arc de Triomphe, where they will receive their next clue.

Colin: I say we do Fine Driving. (Sees Rob and Amber getting the clue from Vincent van Gogh) Oh no. Here comes Rob and Amber.

Rob (opening the clue): Detour. I see Colin and Christie getting back onto their automobiles. I say we do Fine Dining so I don't have to look at Colin.

Amber (running back to their carriages): Good thinking, Rob

(As Rob and Amber head towards the Arc de Triomphe while Colin and Christie make their way towards Invalides, Ken and Gerard have received their next clue from Vincent van Gogh)

Gerard (opening the clue and reading it): Detour. I say we do Fine Driving. Here are the automobiles. Let's get on them Ken.

Ken (getting onto the automobile): Right away, my brother. Whoops!

(Cut to Ken and Gerard promptly hitting a cart full of watermelons, with many of them hitting the faces of several people, including Ken and Gerard's faces)

Gerard (seeing Ken eating some watermelon pieces off his face): Well. That wasn't a good idea. On second thoughts, let's do Fine Dining instead.

Ken (following Gerard back to their horse-drawn carriage as he is still eating some watermelon pieces): Good. I could have some glazed donuts right now. (Sees Joe and Bill as well as Kevin and Drew reaching Vincent van Gogh) Here come two other teams. Let's go!

Joe: We're doing Fine Driving. (Sees Kevin and Drew) How did they catch up to us?

Kevin (sees Joe and Bill climbing into their automobiles): We caught up to Joe and Bill. Let's follow them.

(Cut to Charla and Mirna, Dustin and Kandice, Linda and Karen, B.J. and Tyler, and Danny and Oswald searching through the Exposition Universelle for Vincent van Gogh)

Danny (looking at the Imperial Diamond on display): Look, Oswald. This is a beautiful diamond. This would great on my head or even my finger, if my finger could handle such a large ornament.

Oswald (observing the Imperial Diamond): I don't think that's Vincent van Gogh, Danny.

(Cut to Charla and Mirna in the Théâtre Lyrique where the opera Esclarmonde is being performed)

Mirna (walking through the aisles and blocking the opera from the eyes of angry spectators): Excuse me. Do you know where I can find Vincent van Gogh? (Shouts at French president Marie François Sadi who is sitting in a private balcony) Hey! Can you tell me where is Vincent van Gogh is?

Opera performers (yelling at Mirna): Excuse me! We're trying to do an opera here!

Mirna (grabbing Charla's hand and leaving): Okay! We're leaving. Geez, these people are being extremely unhelpful to us.

(Cut to Colin and Christie riding their automobiles to Invalides where they will retrieve the first tag from inside of it. Inside, Colin stares in awe of the Sarcophagus of Napoleon Bonaparte, one of the greatest military general in human history and Colin's idol)

Colin (seeing Christie retrieving the tag): Wait. Let me stare in awe of the man who conquered Europe and brought enlightenment to this divided continent. (Continues to look upon Napoleon's tomb as he places his top hat over his heart in honor and respect) I gaze upon Napoleon's final resting place as a fitting testament to how noble and great he was to his countrymen and to France itself, once the envy of Europe and the world. His battle tactics has inspired me to be as intense and ambitious as I possibly can on this amazing race. Farewell Napoleon. The muses of knowledge and wisdom will continue to guard your everlasting grave.

(Cut to Colin and Christie making their way to the Moulin Rouge as Rob and Amber arrive at the Arc de Triomphe to perform Fine Dining)

Amber (seeing several tables set up near the Arc de Triomphe): Rob. Let's sit down and eat right away.

Rob (rubbing his hands together in excitement): I can't wait to see what's on the menu. (The first meal is revealed to be escargot, much to Rob's disgust) Man. I miss the British steak and kidney pies.

(Cut to the Exposition Universelle, where Dustin and Kandice as well as Linda and Karen are currently in the Central Dome of the Gallerie des Machines, a large exhibition hall displaying the wonders of the industrial revolution that ranged from gigantic engines to dynamos)

Dustin (staring at the building itself): This is an extraordinary building of the modern age.

Kandice: And look at all of these wonderful machines displayed within this marvelous structure.

Karen: Uh ladies. We need to find Vincent van Gogh.

Kandice (still in awe of a particularly large engine): Yeah. Okay Dustin, let's go find Vincent van Gogh.

(Cut to Colin and Christie arriving at the Moulin Rouge, with Colin attempting to avert his eyes from the dancing women performing the can-can dance as Christie is throwing jealous looks at them)

Christie (getting back into the automobile after retrieving the tag): Did you look at any of those women?!

Colin (stammering as he is driving the automobile to Notre-Dame): Uh, no.

(Cut to Rob and Amber at the Arc de Triomphe, now having finished their escargots)

Rob (relieved): Finally. I'm done eating these horrible things. (Sees an elegant steak frites) That's more like it. (Sees Ken and Gerard arrive) Here comes Ken and Gerard.

Ken: I'm seated and ready to eat. (Being presented the escargot) Yes. Let's catch up.

(Cut to Joe and Bill just ahead of Kevin and Drew on automobiles)

Bill (looking back at Kevin and Drew): Kevin and Drew are still right behind us. They must weigh two tons.

Joe: And yet, they're keeping up with us.

Drew (trying to get more comfortable in the automobile): It's so tight around here. I think something from my personal space is rolling through the streets of Paris right now.

Kevin (pulling more power into the automobile): We got the extra amount of ass on this machine. We're fat men, but we're going to catch up to them. (Putting the automobile neck and neck with Joe and Bill's) Go, go, go, and go.

Bill (seeing Kevin and Drew right besides them): They're right next to us, Joe. Do you know how heavy they are?

Drew (leaning forward): Come on, Kevin. We can beat them. Lean forward. Lean forward. (Kevin and Drew pass by Joe and Bill) We passed them.

Joe (amazed at how Kevin and Drew passed them): How did they beat us? Now they're going to be first at Invalides.

(Cut to Colin and Christie arriving at Notre-Dame, heading inside of it to retrieve their next tag)

Colin (pausing to reflect on interior of Notre-Dame): Magnificent. It was here that Napoleon Bonaparte was crowned Emperor of France, the greatest title any man can hope to aspire for. Perhaps I can just stay here and reflect on the legacy and influence of Napoleon on the rest of the world.

Christie (looking puzzled): You do realize we have a race to complete.

Colin (back to his senses): Oh. Yeah. Let's go to the Arc de Triomphe.

(Cut to Colin and Christie arriving at the Arc de Triomphe, where Rob and Amber have finished their steak frites, and at about the same time, Ken and Gerard have caught up to Rob and Amber by quickly devouring their escargots and steak frites. Their final meal is andouillette.

Colin (reading the clue they had received after handing over their three tags): Travel to the next pit stop: Palais Garnier.

Phil: Teams will travel to the next pit stop: Palais Garnier. This extravagant building, constructed during France's Second Empire, houses the Paris Opera and Ballet. It is now the pit stop for this leg of the race. The last team to check in here may be eliminated.

Colin (climbing into the driver seat of a provided horse-drawn carriage near the Arc de Triomphe): Let's go, Christie. We can get first place if we hurry up.

(Cut to Ken and Gerard finishing their andouillette before Rob and Amber, much to Rob's displeasure)

Gerard (reading the clue informing them of going to the Palais Garnier): My brother, let us attend a night at the opera.

(Cut to Colin and Christie arriving at the Palais Garnier, seeing Phil with Jules Verne on the Grand Staircase)

Jules Verne: Welcome to Paris, France.

Colin and Christie: Thank you.

Phil: Colin and Christie. You're team number one. (Sees Colin and Christie smile in satisfaction) And as the winners of this leg of the race, you have won a trip for two to the Bahamas, which you enjoy after the race. (Talking to Colin) Is it appropriate to call yourself the most intense racer on this race?

Colin: Yes. That is a fitting title for me. I'm here to compete for that one million dollars and I will do whatever it takes to beat every other team here, especially Boston Rob.

(Cut to Ken and Gerard running up to the pit stop who are smiling nervously as they step onto the mat)

Phil (amused at their smiles): Ken and Gerard. (Holding two fingers) You're team number two.

Ken and Gerard (holding their hands up): Yay!

(Cut to Rob and Amber finishing the andouillette and arriving at the pit stop at the Palais Garnier)

Phil: Rob and Amber. You're team number three. (Sees Rob looking determined) So Rob, do you have a rival in this race?

Rob: I do. His name is Colin. But don't worry. He'll meet his Waterloo soon.

(Cut back to the Exposition Universelle where B.J. and Tyler have stumbled on stage of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show)

Buffalo Bill: And now may I present to you Annie Oakley, who will shoot these targets you see attached to this wall. Annie, you may now take aim.

B.J. (coming onto the stage with Tyler): Excuse me everyone, but can you tell me where Vincent van Gogh is?

(Cut to Annie Oakley shooting the targets, with the bullets barely missing B.J. and Tyler as they are dodging them)

Tyler (moving his body erratically to avoid the bullets coming towards him): Hey! What's the big idea? (Bullets knock over his top hat) Can I get a question answered without being shot?

(Cut to Buffalo Bill roping both B.J. and Tyler, pulling both of them towards him)

Buffalo Bill: I suggest that you two fellas think twice before getting onto a stage with bullets flying about.

(Cut to Dustin and Kandice finding Vincent van Gogh with Linda and Karen)

Vincent van Gogh (feeling depressed): Here's your next clue, ladies. (Sighs) Is this what my life has been reduced to, handing out clues for random people on a race around the world?

Kandice (Holding up the painting Café Terrace at Night): This is a beautiful painting. It doesn't just show a café, but it also displays the color and vibrant atmosphere of a café at the dead of night. This painting establishes that the café is able to brighten up the darkness with the energy and laughter of the people residing inside it.

Karen (Seeing the painting Vincent is currently painting, which is The Starry Night): This is an exceptionally beautiful painting. When it is finished, it might possibly be the greatest painting that was ever drawn by a single man.

Vincent van Gogh (confused, but glad): My spirits have risen by your very presence. (Hugs both Dustin and Kandice and Linda and Karen) I don't know anyone else who would pay such a compliment towards me. Thank you. And good luck on your Amazing Race.

Dustin (seeing Charla and Mirna getting a clue from a now smiling Vincent van Gogh): Let's go and do Fine Dining with the Bowling Moms.

(Cut to Danny and Oswald as well as B.J. and Tyler wandering the Exposition Universelle without finding Vincent van Gogh)

Oswald: Ayos Mio! We're completely lost. (Passing through a crowd of mimes) It's like we're being boxed in. And the last team to check in at the pit stop could be eliminated.

Tyler: B.J. Does it feel like we're walking around in a circle?

B.J. (walking around a fountain at the Tuileries Garden): I don't know what you're talking about, Tyler. But I do know this: we're in serious trouble now.

(Commercial Break)

(Cut to the Moulin Rouge where Kevin and Drew have just obtained their second tag. They are now stopping to do the can-can with the dancers)

Kevin (lifting up his legs while placing his arm behind Drew): This is how you party in Paris!

Drew (smiling with Kevin): I agree, Kevin. (Sees a couple of the dancers giggling) Why are these lovely ladies laughing at us?

Kevin (Smiling at the dancers): Oh. They're just impressed to see us dancing. Isn't that right, ladies?

(Cut to the dancers continuing to giggle as Joe and Bill enter the Moulin Rouge)

Bill: We caught up to them, Joe. The fatties are right here.

Drew (sees Joe and Bill): Uh oh. It's time to cut this party short, Kevin.

(Cut to Joe and Bill racing away on their automobiles as Kevin and Drew attempt to catch up to them)

Drew: How did they get ahead of us, Kevin?

Kevin: I don't know, Drew. But by the looks of it, they are now at Notre-Dame just in front of us.

Joe (running into Notre-Dame with Bill): You okay, honey? This has been a make or break day for us.

(Cut to Danny and Oswald searching for Vincent van Gogh)

Danny (singing): Where or where could Vincent van Gogh be? Where or where can he be?

Oswald (Sees Vincent van Gogh): Here he is, Danny! (Vincent van Gogh hands over a clue) Thank you. (Sees B.J. and Tyler running up to them) Ayos mio, Danny. Here comes B.J. and Tyler.

Tyler (being handed the clue by Vincent van Gogh): Thank you. I say we do Fine Dining because Danny and Oswald are doing it. (Speaking to Vincent van Gogh) Gosh you we difficult to find, Mr. van Gogh.

(Cut to Dustin and Kandice, Linda and Karen, and Charla and Mirna arriving at the Arc de Triomphe and being served escargot)

Dustin: Let's dig in, Kandice.

Charla: Thank goodness that the other teams are not here yet. That would be pressure for us.

(Cut to Joe and Bill racing against Kevin and Drew down the Champs Elysees towards the Arc de Triomphe)

Kevin (swerving his automobile away from a crowd of screaming people): Out of the way! Amazing racers coming through!

Drew: (leaning forward with his arms stretched out): Come on. Lean your fat ass forward. Leave the brakes off, Kevin. (Sees their automobile passing Joe and Bill's) We passed them!

Joe (seeing Kevin and Drew passing them): They passed us, Bill. Don't worry, honey. I got a few tricks up my sleeves. (Maximizes the acceleration of the automobile) Let's get pass Kevin and Drew.

Bill (seeing their automobile passing Kevin and Drew's): Good job, Joe. Good job.

Kevin: Aw! They swept right past us.

(Cut to Joe and Bill running to the Arc de Triomphe in presenting their tags to the judge)

Bill (running up the judge): He's right over here, Joe. (Makes a short jump to the judge, slipping onto the ground in the process) Whoops. (Picks himself back up and laughs) Not good.

Joe (getting their next clue after handing over their tags): We have to go to the Palais Garnier. (Sees Kevin and Drew presenting their tags) We have to go now, Bill.

Kevin: The next pit stop is at the Palais Garnier.

Drew (getting onto the provided horse-drawn carriage as Joe and Bill are headed towards the next pit stop): I like horses better than automobiles, less pain in my personal space.

(Cut to Linda and Karen finishing up their escargots and starting on their steak frites)

Linda (now devouring the steak frites): I think we have to show a good example to our kids about the importance of eating everything in front of you.

Karen (finishing up her steak frites): Yeah. It would be bad if we complained about the food that we are currently eating right now.

(Cut to Danny and Oswald as well as B.J. and Tyler arriving at the Arc de Triomphe, taking their seats at their respective tables)

Tyler (talking to Mirna): How does the food taste like?

Mirna (just finishing her escargots): Taste like horse droppings.

(Cut to Linda and Karen starting on their andouillette, much to everyone else's surprise)

Charla (staring at Linda and Karen): How are Linda and Karen finishing up so quickly, Mirna?

Mirna (also staring at Linda and Karen): I don't know, Charla. They must be thinking of their children back home, and how they would be setting up a bad example if they didn't eat everything on their plate. (Seeing Linda and Karen finishing up their plates) And they are done. (Sees Linda and Karen leaving on their horse-drawn carriage) And they're leaving to go to the pit stop.

(Cut to Joe and Bill reaching the pit stop at the Palais Garnier)

Bill (running up to the pit stop): Don't slip, don't slip. (Reaches the pit stop safely) Made it without falling.

Phil: Joe and Bill. You're team number four.

(Cut to Kevin and Drew reaching the pit stop)

Phil: Kevin and Drew. You're team number five.

(Cut to Charla and Mirna, Dustin and Kandice, B.J. and Tyler, and Danny and Oswald eating at the Arc de Triomphe. Charla and Mirna as well as Dustin and Kandice have now started on their andouillette while B.J. and Tyler as well as Danny and Oswald are still eating their escargots)

Mirna (looking at the sausage that is the andouillette): Why does mine look so much bigger than everyone else's?

Dustin (eating part of the andouillette): It's taste really good.

Kandice (eating the sausage): Why does mine look so much thicker than the others?

Charla (with a large portion of the andouillette in her hand): Why does it look like that the more you eat, the more it grows?

Mirna (laughing): Don't look at it! Just eat.

(Cut to Danny and Oswald attempting to finishing their escargots before B.J. and Tyler)

Danny (placing an entire snail in his mouth using his hands): Oswald. We should go shopping on the Champs-Elysees after this leg is over.

Oswald (with an entire snail in his mouth and mumbling): I agree, Danny.

B.J. (placing a snail in his mouth): It's actually isn't that bad, Tyler. Though it could be cooked more to be a lot more roasted to my liking.

Tyler (standing up and clapping his hands together): It helps me to dance.

(Cut to Charla and Mirna as well Dustin and Kandice having difficulty consuming their andouillette)

Mirna (placing a huge amount of andouillette into her mouth): Bottoms up! (Looks at Kandice eating incredibly quickly) Wow! You're eating so fast. (Looks at Charla eating at a snail's pace) Why are you eating so slowly?

Kandice: Boy, we chose the wrong task.

Mirna (burping as Dustin and Kandice smiling and shaking their heads): Oh, sorry!

Charla (seeing a still substantial amount of sausage on the plate): Mine isn't shrinking.

Mirna (frustrated with Charla's slow eating): Charla. Pick up the pace.

Charla (with andouillette in her mouth): I am

Mirna (trying to encourage Charla on): Concentrate!

(Cut to Linda and Karen arriving at the Palais Garnier, the pit stop for this leg of the race)

Phil: Linda and Karen. You're team number six.

Linda and Karen: All right!

(Cut to Dustin and Kandice giggling at Charla and Mirna's witty banter towards each other)

Dustin (voice-over): I think it's funny how Charla and Mirna interact with each other, the way that they bark at each other.

Mirna (displaying frustration at Charla's lack of urgency): What the hell are you doing?! Just put that sausage into your mouth and eat it.

Charla (with an enormous amount of sausage in her mouth): It's not easy. It's so much damn food.

(Cut to Danny and Oswald starting on their steak frites as B.J. and Tyler are about to be finished with their escargots)

B.J. (eating the last escargot with disgust): On second thoughts, the escargots taste rancid.

Tyler (swallowing the last escargot): Yeah. It gets slimy after a while.

B.J. (drinking wine): I must say. This wine is helping me consume these foods quicker. What's it called?

Tyler (holding the wine bottle): De Grave.

B.J. (possessing an ironic smile): Oh. Well let's keep eating before we get eliminated. Then we'll really be in de grave.

Danny (struggling to eat the steak frites): Oswald. Message my shoulders for me. It would help.

Oswald (getting up and messaging Danny's shoulders): How's this, Danny?

Danny (feeling more relaxed): Oh much better, Oswald!

(Cut to Dustin and Kandice, who are now just finishing their andouilettes)

Kandice (handing an empty plate to a waiter): Waiter. Get this thing out of my face. Thank you.

(Cut to Oswald continuing to message Danny)

Danny (seeing Oswald taking his seat again at the table): I'm ready to chow down and eat this steak.

(Cut to B.J. and Tyler racing to finish their steak frites at a breakneck speed)

Tyler: I feel like I'm in a Turkish prison, B.J.

B.J.: I most certainly agree with that statement, Tyler.

(Cut to Mirna, who is now done with the andouillette and is trying to hurry Charla up in eating her andouillette)

Mirna (looking worried): I don't want to get eliminated because of this, Charla.

Charla: I know, Mirna.

(Cut to Dustin now finishing the andouillette)

Dustin (handing over her plate to the waiter): Take it away.

Kandice (congratulating Dustin): Good job.

(Cut to Dustin vomiting into a bucket right next to the table)

Mirna (smiling): Ladies and gentlemen, Miss New York!

(Cut to everyone laughing, including Dustin and Kandice)

Dustin (raising her hand up in appreciation): Thank you!

Kandice (receiving the clue from the waiter and reading it): Travel to the next pit stop: Palais Garnier.

(Cut to Charla scooping the last pieces of the andouillette into her mouth)

Mirna (tilting Charla's head backwards): Just put your head back. It would help bring down the sausage.

Charla (holding a knife in her hand): I wish I could throw up. Let me put this knife in my mouth. (Walking to the bucket next to the table) I don't know what to do right now.

(Cut to Charla starting to vomit while everyone being beginning to cover their ears)

Charla (leaning against the bucket and putting the knife in her mouth): I don't know how people do this.

(Cut to Charla vomiting into the bucket with everyone pushing hard against their ears)

Oswald (covering his ears): Ayos mio!

Tyler (covering his ears): La, la, la, la.

(Cut to Kandice comforting Charla near the bucket while everyone is laughing)

Kandice: You're done now, Charla.

(Cut to Dustin and Kandice as well as Charla and Mirna leaving, with Danny and Oswald as well as B.J. and Tyler fighting it out not to be eliminated. Both of them are now eating the andouillette as their final meal, with Danny and Oswald slightly ahead of B.J. and Tyler)

B.J. (gobbling a handful into his mouth): Never thought I would be in Paris and eating sausages.

Oswald (encouraging Danny to finish the andouillette): Finish this, Danny. We're about to go to the pit stop, and finally go on that shopping spree I had promised you. (Places his fork down on an empty plate) I'm done!

Tyler (finishing his plate): I'm done!

(Cut to Dustin and Kandice reaching the pit stop)

Phil: Dustin and Kandice. You're team number seven.

Dustin and Kandice (shaking each other's hand): Good job!

Phil (sees Charla and Mirna heading up the Grand Staircase): And here comes Charla and Mirna (Charla and Mirna reaches the pit stop). Charla and Mirna. You're team number eight.

Charla and Mirna (smiling at each other): Oh that's all right.

(Cut to the Arc de Triomphe where B.J. and Danny are racing each other in finishing their andouillette first)

Oswald: Go Danny go. Finish that sausage like your mother's favorite meal. It's far more delicious and nutritious if you put it in your mouth.

Tyler: B.J. Finish this and it's off to the pit stop.

Oswald: Come on, Danny.

Tyler: Come on, B.J.

(Cut to a fork falling onto the table, right next to an empty plate)

Danny: I'm done, Oswald. Let's go off to the pit stop.

(Cut to B.J. and Tyler's disappointed faces as Danny and Oswald are riding off to the pit stop)

B.J. (seeing Tyler's look of despair): I'm sorry, man.

Tyler (putting a sad smile on his face): It is okay, B.J. You did the best you could do. (Pouring wine into their two glass cups) Let us drink to our time on the Amazing Race.

B.J. (tapping his glass of wine with Tyler's): Cheers.

(Cut to Danny and Oswald running up to the pit stop)

Phil: Danny and Oswald. You're team number nine (Danny and Oswald hug each other in relief).

(Cut to B.J. and Tyler making their way to Phil at the pit stop mat)

Phil: B.J. and Tyler. You're the last team to arrive. I'm sorry to tell you that you have been eliminated from the race.

B.J.: It's okay. Tyler and I had a good time on the Amazing Race. And though our race has been cut short, we had seen more of the world than many Americans will see in their lifetimes.

Tyler: We learned not to waste your opportunities and live life to the fullest. And now we shall depart from this Amazing Race having the opportunity of experiencing different cultures.

(End Credits)

Phil (voice-over): Stay tune for scenes from our next episode.

(Commercial Break)

Phil (voice-over): On the next episode of the Amazing Race.

(Cut to Rome, with landmarks such as the Roman Forum and St. Peter's Basilica)

Phil (voice-over): Teams travel to the cultural, religious, and historical center of the world.

Mirna (running through the Roman Forum): Roma. I love it. I love it very much. Viva Italia.

Phil (voice-over): And Colin is having some difficulties making new friends.

Colin (playing a game of chess with Rob): We're playing a long game, with only one of us emerging victorious in the end.

Rob (moving a chess piece and resetting the clock timer): We'll see who will meet karma in the end. The pieces are being placed for the final outcome of this race.

Colin (shouting at Mirna in the Palais Garnier): Look! My bags are underneath my seat.

Mirna (throwing her opera glove to the ground): These people are maniacs. (Speaking in Armenian) Maniacs. They're maniacs.

[END]

**A/N: I based this Amazing Race story on the real-life season The Amazing Race All-Stars, which had previous racers from the past ten seasons. I thought it was just okay. Not great nor bad, but just okay. I wasn't satisfied with the end results of that season. I wrote this story as a means of improving upon The Amazing Race All-Stars, hopefully with better racers and a better end result. Please review this story in order for me to get your input about it.**


	3. We're Playing a Long Game

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Amazing Race. It is the property of CBS. **

The Amazing Race 1889: An Epic Amazing Race Story Based on the First Eleven Seasons

Episode 3: We're Playing a Long Game 

(Shot of Buckingham Palace and the glorious city of London)

Phil (voice-over): Previously on the Amazing Race, ten teams departed from London to the French capital of Paris. Along the way, Colin continued his rivalry with Rob.

Colin: It makes me noxious having to listen to you, Rob.

Rob: It makes me noxious even talking to you.

Phil (voice-over): But Rob fought back, convincing the train conductor not to open the back doors of the train.

Rob: In Paris, open the doors in the front section of the train. Do not open the doors for the back section. (Rob hands out a bunch of francs to the conductor and to several train attendants) Perfect. (Seeing the conductor and the train attendant agreeing to his plan) Merci bocu.

Train attendant (blocking the door to a group of frantic racers): Wait for one moment, gentlemen and madams. I just want to check your passports.

Mirna (looking furious): Look, mister. I don't have time for such foolishness. Open the door now.

Colin (yelling at the whimpering train conductor): Let's go! I have a race to complete! You've brought shame to your countrymen!

(Cut to Colin and Christie arriving at the Palais Garnier, seeing Phil with Jules Verne on the Grand Staircase)

Phil (voice-over): In the end, Colin and Christie were able to land a first place finish for the leg.

Phil: Colin and Christie. You're team number one. (Sees Colin and Christie smile in satisfaction)

(Cut to B.J. and Tyler making their way to Phil at the pit stop mat)

Phil (voice-over): And B.J. and Tyler arrived last at the pit stop.

Phil: B.J. and Tyler. You're the last team to arrive. I'm sorry to tell you that you have been eliminated from the race.

Phil (voice-over): Nine teams remain. Who will be eliminated next?

(Introduction sequence: Charla and Mirna, Rob and Amber, Ken and Gerard, Kevin and Drew, BJ and Tyler, Joe and Bill, Colin and Christie, Linda and Karen, Danny and Oswald, Dustin and Kandice, Flo and Zach)

(Cut to a shot of Paris. The city is illuminated by gas lamps, with the Eiffel Tower being the focal point of the light show. Phil, donned in opera attire, is walking down the Grand Staircase of the Palais Garnier)

Phil: This is Paris, the city of lights and romance. Paris is the cultural and artistic center of Europe. And one of the many architectural wonders of Paris, Palais Garnier. This grand opera house was the 2nd pit stop in a race around the world. (Montage of teams arriving at the pit stop) Teams arrive at the pit stop for a mandatory rest period. The nine teams waiting here have no idea what's in store for them.

(Cut to a shot of Colin and Christie)

Phil: Will Colin and Christie's rivalry with Rob and Amber lead them to excel further in the race or will it be the principle cause of their demise?

(Cut to a shot of Rob and Amber)

Phil: Will Rob's cocky attitude backfire in the end?

(Cut to a shot of Colin and Christie arriving at the pit stop)

Phil (voice-over): Colin and Christie, who arrived at 12:00 P.M., will depart first at 12:00 A.M.

(Cut to Colin and Christie, in opera attire, opening their clue on the Grand Staircase of the Palais Garnier)

Christie (reading their clue): Pick up a pair of opera glasses and head into one of the auditoriums for a performance of the opera Carmen.

Phil (voice-over) Teams will pick up a pair of opera glasses and enter into the auditorium showing the opera Carmen. Once in the auditorium, teams will use their opera glasses to scan the auditorium for words indicating their next destination: The Colosseum in Rome. Teams will find their next clue within the Colosseum in the world-renown city of Rome.

Colin (picking up his opera glasses): I got them. (Placing his arm around Christie's arm) Let us attend a night at the opera.

Colin (voice-over): I think I am the most powerful racer on this race. I have clearly demonstrated that I am in this race for the long haul, whether or not anyone else agrees with me. I do not overtly display myself as a threat like Boston Rob does. I am more subtle in my willingness to run this race.

Christie (seeing that the opera starts at 3:00 A.M.): Colin. Carmen starts at 3:00 A.M.

Colin (taking out his pocket watch and examining it): By this time, all of the racers will be here, meaning that we're even again (closing his pocket watch). Damn. I thought I could get out of here before Boston Rob arrived.

(Cut to all of the racers arriving in their finest opera clothing, ready to witness the opera Carmen at the Palais Garnier)

Dustin: I can't believe we're going to watch the opera Carmen, one of the finest operas of our generation. A tale of a romance and tragedy as a soldier tries to win the heart of the gypsy woman over that of a bull-fighter. Surely, it would be a spectacle to watch this opera in the finest building in the world.

Kevin (looking at Dustin and Kandice): You two look great!

Dustin and Kandice (speaking in sync): Thank you!

Joe (placing his arm around Bill's arm): I like the way you look in that opera suit of yours.

Bill (looking at Joe): You look dashing in that attire of yours, Joe.

Charla (looking at everyone else): Everyone here has their arms attached to their partner's arm except for us.

Mirna (looking down at Charla): Well we're somewhat different from everyone else, Charla.

(Cut to all of the racers attempting to find the best seat to search for the clue of their next destination in the auditorium, with Carmen now starting)

Christie (looking through the opera glasses for a couple of minutes): Colin, I need to go to the bathroom right now.

Colin (placing his bags underneath his seat): Let's place our bags under our seats. Off to the bathroom we go.

(Cut to Charla and Mirna having no success searching for the location of their next clue. They see the seats left behind by Colin and Christie)

Charla: Mirna. Those seats would provide a great view of the entire auditorium. Let's take those seats.

(Cut to Charla and Mirna arriving at the seats and taking out of their opera glasses to search for their clue)

Charla (looking through her opera glasses): Nope. I still can't find the clue.

Mirna (looking through her opera glasses): The opera's beautiful, but I can't see the clue. (Sees Colin and Christie marching right towards them, with Colin looking extremely angry) Oh no.

Colin: Hey! This is my seat.

Mirna (feigning innocence): But you left this seat.

Colin: No! I never left it at all.

Mirna: It's our seat now.

Colin: My bags are underneath my seat. They're under these seats.

Mirna: We're terribly sorry, but we're going to remain seated here.

Christie: Get off! That's incredibly rude!

(Cut to Charla and Mirna reluctantly leaving the seats, as the Habanera portion of Carmen is starting)

Carmen (singing) Love is a rebellious bird that nobody can tame, and you can call him (although it is) quite in vain, because it suits him not to come. Nothing helps, neither threat nor prayer. One man talks well, the other, silent; but it's the other that I prefer. He says nothing, but he pleases me. Oh, love! Love! Love! Love!

Colin (shouting at Mirna in the Palais Garnier): Look! My bags are underneath my seat.

Carmen (singing): Love is a gypsy's child, it has never known the law; if you love me not, then I love you; if I love you, you'd best beware! (Chorus: You'd best beware!) If you love me not, if you love me not, then I love you (Chorus: You'd best beware!) but if I love you, if I love you, you'd best beware!

Charla: Okay! We're going.

Christie (complaining about Charla and Mirna): The audacity of these people.

Carmen (singing): The bird you hoped to catch beat its wings and flew away ... love stays away, you wait and wait; when least expected, there it is! All around you, swift, swift, it comes, goes, then it returns ... you think you hold it fast, it flees you think you're free, it holds you fast. Oh, love! Love! Love! Love!

Charla: I feel like I'm back in school, with bullies making fun of me. They're trying to demoralize me on this race.

Colin: Get out my sight, Mirna and Schmirna.

Carmen (singing): Love is a gypsy's child, it has never known the law; if you love me not, then I love you; if I love you, you'd best beware! (Chorus: You'd best beware!) If you love me not, if you love me not, then I love you (Chorus: You'd best beware!) but if I love you, if I love you, you'd best beware!

Mirna (walking back to her original seat): Colin has an inferiority complex. His girlfriend is submissive. This insane person is trying to assault me.

Choir: Love is a gypsy's child, it has never known the law; if you love me not, then I love you; if I love you, you'd best beware! (Chorus: You'd best beware!)

Mirna (throwing her opera glove to the ground): These people are maniacs. (Speaking in Armenian) Maniacs. They're maniacs.

Carmen (singing): if you love me not, if you love me not, then I love you (Chorus: You'd best beware!) but if I love you, if I love you, you'd best beware!

(Cut to Rob and Amber watching Carmen)

Amber: This would be a very romantic opera to take your partner to.

Rob: I agree, Amber. This is an extremely touching performance to take your date to. (Eyes wide open behind his opera glasses) I found it: Travel to the Colosseum in Rome. The trick is to not look at the opera on stage but to look at the very back of the theater. These opera glasses are specifically designed to pick up invisible ink. (Heading out of the auditorium) Let's go, Amber.

Colin (who was spying on Rob): Rob looked away from the stage. Let me pinpoint where he positioned his opera glasses. (Sees the invisible message) Aha! Travel to the Colosseum in Rome. (Leaving the auditorium) Off to Rome we go, Christie.

(Cut to Charla and Mirna observing the opera with extreme concentration)

Mirna: I keep looking at the performers' faces, the scenery in the background, and the floor itself. I'm picking up nothing.

Charla (looking away from the stage and directly behind her): Mirna. I need to rest my eyes from watching the opera. (Eyes wide open) Mirna! I found the message. Travel to the Colosseum in Rome.

Mirna (excited in a hush tone): Good job, Charla! Finally we are finishing ahead of everyone else.

(Cut to Ken and Gerard as well as Kevin and Drew looking through their opera glasses at the stage)

Kevin: Four fat guys watching opera. What are the chances of that happening?

Drew: The same odds that we'll be able to find the next clue in a reasonable amount of time.

Ken: Like they always say, it ain't over till the fat lady sings.

Gerard (sees the invisible message): I think the fat lady has just sung. There's the message.

(Cut to Kevin and Drew as well as Ken and Gerard leaving the auditorium, with Joe and Bill finding the message as well)

Dustin (talking to Kandice): Kandice. Focus on Carmen. Maybe the message is imprinted on her face.

Kandice (talking to Dustin): I don't think so. I think the message would be placed on something more solid. (Talking to Linda and Karen) Hey. Do you want to work with us in finding the clue?

Linda (talking to Kandice): Sure thing, Kandice.

(Cut to Danny and Oswald trying to spot the message on male performers)

Oswald: Those male actors are fit and strong. I could stare at them all day.

Danny: I can too, but I don't think they contain the clue. Perhaps the clue is not on the attractive men, but somewhere else.

Oswald (voice-over): I realized that the stage had colorful scenery and actors that served the purpose of distracting us from the true location of the clue.

Oswald (looking at the back wall and speaking to Danny loudly): Danny! It's right behind us. The clue is on the back wall.

Danny: Good job, Oswald! (Sees Dustin and Kandice as well as Linda and Karen looking behind as well) But next time, don't shout out what you know.

(Cut to Danny and Oswald, Dustin and Kandice, and Linda and Karen leaving the Palais Garnier. Now every racer is at the Gare Saint-Lazare train station)

Rob (at the ticket station): Two train tickets to Rome, please. (Being handed the tickets) Thank you. (Sees Colin sneering at the artists Édouard Manet and Claude Monet) Here comes Colin. Let me rattle his sense and mind to intimidate him. (Calls to Colin) Hey Colin! Mind if you join me at a game of chess.

Colin (Smiles deviously): Of course, my good man.

(Cut to Colin and Rob playing a game of chess with a timer right next to the board on the table)

Colin (playing a game of chess with Rob): We're playing a long game, with only one of us emerging victorious in the end.

Rob (moving a chess piece and resetting the clock timer): We'll see who will meet karma in the end. The pieces are being placed for the final outcome of this race.

Colin (moving a chess piece and resetting the clock timer): Karma. The Eastern concept defined by cause and effect, mainly the one that result in horrendous consequences for the sinner.

Rob (moving a chess piece and resetting the clock timer): You are very knowledgeable about the customs and beliefs of East Asia. So tell me, what do you know about the Christian belief of predestination?

Colin (moving a chess piece and resetting the clock timer): Predestination. The belief defined by God deciding who would be condemned before they're even born. I must confess that God has determined that you would not win the race, considering that the race is a matter of life or death for the both of us.

Rob (moving a chess piece and resetting the clock timer): Well versed, my good man. Since God has decided that I would be the one to win the race, I will give you this advice: There's an earlier train to Rome than the one shown on the ticket displayed on this table.

(Cut to Colin moving a chess piece, a fatal mistake as Rob moves his chess piece to checkmate him)

Rob (moving his chess piece and crossing his hands in satisfaction): Checkmate. Guess you're not as high and mighty as you built yourself to be.

Colin (departing from the table): I did that on purpose. If I really wanted to beat you, I would have killed your king to kingdom come, which you will eventually end up at due to both karma and predestination.

(Cut to Rob watching Colin leaving the table, with Rob having a satisfied look on his face)

Rob (talking to the camera): Colin doesn't know that there isn't an earlier train to Rome. I just made that up to mess with his head. (Laughing at himself) Can you imagine Colin's face when he finds out there's no earlier train to Rome?

(Cut to Colin and Christie purchasing an earlier ticket to Rome)

Colin (talking to the ticket attendant): Are you sure these tickets are for a train that arrives earlier than the train for that guy over at the chess table?

Ticket attendant: I am very sure of it.

Colin (being given the early train tickets): Thank you.

(Cut to Colin and Christie walking away from the ticket office, with Colin slapping the earlier train tickets in his hand. Little did they knew that Charla and Mirna were eavesdropping on them)

Mirna: Charla. That maniac just said there's an earlier train to Rome.

Charla (yelling excitedly at Mirna): That's brilliant. Let's go purchase those earlier train tickets to Rome before anyone else does.

(Cut to Ken and Gerard, Danny and Oswald, and Kevin and Drew looking stunned at Charla and Mirna)

Mirna (angry): Charla! Don't announce your breakthrough to the entire world.

Charla (looking apologetic): Sorry, Mirna.

(Cut to Charla and Mirna, Ken and Gerard, Danny and Oswald, and Kevin and Drew purchasing the earlier train tickets to Rome)

Danny (seeing Charla and Mirna as well as Ken and Gerard leaving for the waiting area, with Kevin and Drew sticking behind): Oswald. Can we go on that shopping spree on the Champs-Elysees?

Oswald (smiling): Sure thing, Danny.

Kevin (looking at his guidebook of Paris): So Drew. How about we have a drink at this nice tea shop called Mariage Frères?

Drew: Good thinking, Kevin. I could use a drink to rejuvenate myself.

(Cut to Linda and Karen as well as Dustin and Kandice walking out of the train station, seeing a group of children playing in the streets of Paris)

Karen (seeing the children playing peacefully in the wide boulevards of Paris): I'm glad to see life in Paris return back to normal after the devastation caused by the Franco-Prussian War.

Linda (seeing good food being served from carts, people hanging clothes from their windows, and shops being opened for the day): Look around you. You see families enjoying life to their fullest in one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

Dustin (seeing a group of boys in full uniform pretending to fight the Germans): Those boys are really into war and fighting on the battlefield. (Sees their parents encouraging the boys to slaughter their make-believe enemies) And their parents are really hammering the message of a glorious war in the minds of their boys.

Kandice (reading a newspaper detailing the French incursions into Africa and their race against the Germans in the Scramble for Africa): Right now, the European powers are racing to grab every last scrap of free land and add them to their ever-expanding empire. It's only a matter of time before a great conflict erupts between the European empires.

(Cut to the waiting area, where Rob is seated and reading War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy. While reading the epic novel, he stared up at Colin, smiling at him greedily. Colin, meanwhile, was reading De bello Gallico, an account of Julius Caesar's military campaign in Gaul. Catching sight of Rob's smile, Colin decided to confront Rob)

Colin (face to face with Rob and staring at the book War and Peace in Rob's hand): War and Peace, a scathing account of one of the greatest man who ever lived. (Smirking) I must say that I pity you as an ignoramus who is unable to understand my superiority over you in this race. If you must know, I am reading De bello Gallico, a masterful work by Julius Caesar regarding his time fighting the Gauls. Just like Napoleon Bonaparte, Julius Caesar was a military genius who knew the strategies on how to win, using his genius to triumph over the barbarians. It appears to be of coincidence that we are heading towards one of the greatest cities in the entire ancient world: Rome. The city of Rome was built as a monument to the military victories of the ingenious Roman generals, of which I have inherited unlike you. I shall march first into the grand city under its magnificent triumphal arches while you are still struggling to catch up to me like the weakling you are.

(Cut to Mariage Frère, a local tea shop, where Kevin and Drew have just arrived to drink some tea)

Drew (seeing that the shopkeeper was a young man): Bonjour. May we please have some tea please? (Talking to the camera as the shopkeeper retrieves the tea container) Wow, I thought the shopkeeper would be an old man who looks like Benjamin Franklin. (Upon receiving the tea) Merci.

Kevin (drinking the tea with Drew in the stop): I like this tea. It has an oregano favor to it. (Talking to the shopkeeper) We're fellow travelers who are about to embark on a trip to Rome. Is it warm down there?

Shopkeeper: Yes it is warm down there.

Kevin (continuing to drink the tea): Merci. It just feels so relaxing to be drinking tea in Paris and getting away from all the chaos back at the train station.

(Cut to the train station, where Rob is attempting to counter Colin's attacks against him)

Rob (adopting a more serious tone with Colin): Listen, Colin. The greatest civilization of human history eventually fell and was picked apart by the same barbarians that the Romans had subdued and conquered. It's only a matter of time before you also experience a catastrophic collapse, resulting in your elimination from this race. I suppose you are on that earlier train to Rome.

Colin (unnerved): Yes I am, Rob.

Rob (laughing): Very funny, Colin. (Walking away and waving his hand) Au Revoir.

(Cut to Danny and Oswald on the Champs-Elysees, going through the various shops and purchasing many novelty items)

Oswald (voice-over): If we stayed at the train station, we would have been the midst of the chaos and confusion of the other teams fighting and arguing with each other. We had some free time before the train departed so we decided to spend some time shopping through Paris.

Danny (seeing the cologne displayed in the store): I never smelled such a wonderful fragrance in all my life. Buy this for me Oswald as a sign of our never-ending friendship. (Walking out of the store with a bag of cologne in his hand) I never felt more alive in all my life.

Oswald (walking into a men's clothing store with Danny): We've been smelly for the past few days. Now that we have our cologne, let's get some new clothes for our trip around the world.

(Cut to Joe and Bill putting their heads together and whispering cautiously)

Joe: We can't just simply go by the word of Charla that there are earlier train tickets to Rome. We don't follow the crowd. We just simply need to run this entire race on our own. No friends. No allies. Just each other. Do you understand that Bill?

Bill: Yes, Joe. This is a race for a million dollars, and we intend to win it by ourselves.

(Cut to Danny and Oswald trying on new clothes at the men's clothing store)

Oswald (trying on a nice suit complete with a top hat and a walking cane): I feel like a new man right now. What do you think, Danny?

Danny (looking at Oswald): You look fabulous, Oswald. Nothing like a shopping spree to bring two friends together.

Oswald (voice-over): When I walked into that clothing store, it was as if a choir of angels came out and sang Hallelujah to me. It was heaven for me and for Danny.

Oswald (talking to Danny, who was also dressed in a nice suit): You look fabulous too, Danny.

(Cut to Charla and Mirna also putting their heads together, discussing their plans on winning the race. Ken and Gerard was staring at them with bemusement)

Gerard: I don't get why racers need to whisper their secrets with each other.

Ken: If I wanted to tell my secret, I would shout it so the whole world would hear it, thus getting it off my shoulder. (Clearing his throat and shouting) Hey! I like glazed donuts. (Everyone stares at him in surprise, then went back to their business) See. Nothing to it.

(Cut to everyone getting onto their respective trains, with Kevin and Drew as well as Danny and Oswald arriving back at the train station)

Kevin (climbing onto their train with Drew): We're going to Rome, where it's warmer there on the Italian peninsular.

Oswald (climbing onto their train with Danny, carrying their shopping bags with him): We had a very good day. A very stylish day indeed, with my best friend Danny accompanying me along the way.

(Cut to Colin and Christie taking their seats on the train that would leave earlier)

Christie (proud of Colin's accomplishment of securing the earlier tickets): As a result of your ingenuity, we will be the first ones to arrive into Rome.

Colin (writing in his green journal): Thank you, honey. I'll put this accomplishment in my own personal journal.

Colin (voice-over): This green journal contains all of my personal notes taken throughout this entire race, which will detail the entire experience of my adventure around the world with Christie. Also in this green journal are the English translations of different languages, the geography of several countries, and the schematics behind every industrial machine in existence. (Holding his green journal to the camera) This green journal is essentially my soul in its physical manifestation. If this journal is harmed and ruined in anyway, my sanity would die along with it.

(Cut to the train with Rob and Amber on it, taking their seats)

Rob (laughing): Colin and Christie are nowhere to be seen. Looks like we'll be the ones to arrive first in Rome. At last, Colin has fallen from his pedestal.

(Commercial Break)

(Cut to the Gare Saint-Lazare train station, where two trains are about to leave for Rome)

Colin (walking through the entire length of the train, looking for Rob and Amber): No sign of Rob and Amber, Christie. Now's our chance to jump ahead of them in this race.

(Cut to the map of the world)

Phil: All teams are heading towards the Italian capital of Rome by way of train. The teams leaving on the earlier train are Colin and Christie, Charla and Mirna, Danny and Oswald, Kevin and Drew, and Ken and Gerard. The teams leaving on the later train are Rob and Amber, Dustin and Kandice, Linda and Karen, and Joe and Bill.

(Cut to Colin arguing with the train conductor regarding the speed of the train)

Colin (arguing): Please, conductor. I can make this train go faster if you just let me in the boiler room.

Conductor: I'm sorry, sir. No passengers are allowed in the boiler. It's a safety precaution.

Colin: I beg you, conductor. I can make the train go faster if you let me in. I won't let you down.

Conductor (pausing to think): Ah all right. I have a tight schedule to adhere towards. You better make the train go faster.

Colin (getting into the boiler room): Thank you. (Calling to the attention of the people shoveling coal into the boiler) Listen up! I am a fellow passenger on this train. I want you to make the train go faster. I'm going to help you try to get to Rome quicker. (Points to the man shoveling coal) Put your back into it man. (Points to man next to the safety valve) Loosen the safety valve. (Looks through his journal, which included the schematics of a steam locomotive and several of his own personal notes on how to make it go faster) How's the pressure gauge? (Looks at the pressure gauge) Everything seems to be in order. (Being handed a cup of tea and drinking it) Thank you.

(Cut to the back of the train where the rest of the racers are amazed at how much faster the train is travelling)

Ken (looking out of the window as the train is racing through the Alps): Wow. This train is really moving quickly now.

Christie (impressed by Colin): I knew that Colin could do it. He's such an innovative and well-rounded man.

Mirna (whispering with Charla): Colin was able to make this train go faster. That's an extraordinary achievement. We should plan accordingly if we are to beat him on this race.

(Cut to the front of the train, where Colin is in awe of how he made the train accelerate across the Alps)

Colin (drinking his cup of tea and telling orders to the men): Lower the quantity of coal being shoveled into the boiler. Close the safety valve. Make sure the pressure is under control. (Lower his cup of tea and stares out the window at the Alps) I imagine myself as a great general, crossing the Alps for my own conquest and glory. Like Hannibal, I shall cross these formidable mountains by way of a massive and frightening beast, with my own iron horse being comparable to that of Hannibal's mighty elephants. I am channeling the spirit of Napoleon Bonaparte as I cross the Alps, with myself being a worthy successor to the extraordinary general as I also seek the fame and wealth that would be given to me just across the Alps.

(Cut to the second train carrying Rob and Amber, Dustin and Kandice, Linda and Karen, and Joe and Bill)

Rob (reading a map of Rome and writing on it): Amber. I think we can rest easy on this leg of the race. Clearly we are ahead of Colin and Christie as well as four other people. I am expecting to be greeted with a crowd of admiring Italians as they marvel at my arrival, like a messiah descending from heaven and onto earth.

Bill (voice-over): Rob sees himself like a reincarnation of the classic hero, with examples such as Perseus, Hercules, and Jesus Christ. He may view himself as an immortal and god-like individual, but in actuality, he's still human, with the flaws and limitations of a mortal person. Rob is simply an attention seeker who shouts out his intentions to the entire world, something Joe and I have avoided all throughout this race. Joe and I might be considered old-geezers but we will win this race by way of stealth and intelligence, not by an arrogant and boisterous behavior.

Dustin (seeing Joe and Bill whispering towards each other): Kandice. Sometimes the race can bring out the worst in people. We should compete in the race in bringing the best in us.

Kandice (sharing a toast of wine with Dustin): I agree, Dustin. It is not so much the destination but the journey that counts. It is true that we should work hard in winning the one million dollar prize, and yet, what is one million dollars if we didn't have a good time reaching it. Years from now, we want to remember the Amazing Race not as a side trip from our everyday lives but as an introspective on how we live and how the world is an extraordinary place to exist in.

Dustin (holding her glass of wine towards Kandice's): Cheers!

(Cut to the first train arriving at the Roma Termini train station, where a crowd of excited Italians are greeting the train carrying the racers)

Colin (looking at his pocket watch): By my calculations, I have made the train arrive an hour earlier than was scheduled. (Talking to the men who followed his orders) Thank you, gentlemen. I shall now depart for the Colosseum.

(Cut to the racers departing from the train and being in the midst of cheering Italians, who were waving their national flag and playing the national anthem of the Kingdom of Italy on musical instruments)

Gerard (making his way through the crowd of Italians): These Italians are really a jovial and nationalistic crowd, considering that their country was only recently unified.

Ken (talking to Gerard): After being divided for several centuries, the Italians are incredibly excited to finally be one, united people once and for all. Wouldn't you also be happy and giddy after such an event?

(Cut to Colin and Christie, Ken and Gerard, Charla and Mirna, Danny and Oswald, and Kevin and Drew reaching their horse-drawn carriage, with the Italians waving goodbye to the racers as they depart in their carriages)

Colin (driving the horse-drawn carriage as he sees the magnificent buildings and monuments throughout Rome): Look, Christie! We're in Rome, the city of the Caesars and the Renaissance. One minute you're a witness to the ancient city that dominated the known world. Another minute you're in the epicenter of where the rebirth of Europe occurred during the Renaissance. (Sees the Colosseum looming ahead) And now I see the site where the gladiators of ancient times fought for perpetual glory.

(Cut to Colin and Christie reaching the cluebox inside the Colosseum, gathering their thoughts to take in the ruined state of the Colosseum and its now-exposed underground passageways)

Colin (reading the clues): A Detour and a Fast Forward. Let me see what the Fast Forward is all about. (Reading the Fast Forward clue) Who's ready for some climbing?

Phil: A Fast Forward is a task that only one team may perform. If a team performs a Fast Forward, they may skip all tasks and head directly to the pit stop. In this Fast Forward, teams will head to the famous Spanish Steps and climb it. Once they reach the top, they will be asked a question. If they answer the question correctly, they will receive their Fast Forward award.

Christie (seeing the other teams entering the Colosseum): Let's take the Fast Forward.

(Cut to Colin and Christie driving away in their horse-drawn carriage as the other teams retrieving their clues from the cluebox, with all of them deciding not to take the Fast Forward)

Oswald (reading the clue): Detour: Ancient Rome or Modern Rome.

Phil: A Detour is a task with two choices, each with their own pros and cons. In this Detour, teams will decide on which aspect of Rome they would like to experience: Ancient or Modern. In Ancient Rome, teams will head for the Roman Forum and search through the ruins for several disjointed Latin words found within the site: Popvli Romani [Roman People] and Optimis Fortissimisque [Highest and Strongest] at the Arch of Septimius Severus, Senatus Populusque Romanus [The Roman Senate and People] at the Arch of Titus, Restituit [Have Restored] at the Temple of Saturn. Teams are handed picture of each inscription, and once they have found the inscription, they will snap a picture of the inscription indicating that they have found it. After taking pictures of all four inscriptions, teams must arrange the Latin inscriptions in order to make a complete statement: [The Roman Senate and People] [Have Restored] [The Highest and Strongest] [Roman People]. Once a team has successfully made the statement, they will receive their next clue. In Modern Rome, teams will carry eight large jars onto their carriages and head for two famous fountains: Trevi Fountain and Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi. At each fountain, teams will use four jars to gather water, and after filling eight jars with water, teams will travel to the Pantheon, delivering the jars into the building. Once the jars have been delivered, teams will receive their next clue.

Charla (looking at the clue): Do you want to do Ancient Rome, Mirna?

Mirna: Okay, Charla. The Roman Forum is just across the street. (Sees Danny and Oswald following them to the Roman Forum) Look like Team Cha-Cha-Cha is also doing Ancient Rome. (Sees the other racers going into their horse-drawn carriages) And Ken and Gerard as well as Kevin and Drew are doing Modern Rome.

(Cut to Colin and Christie reaching the Spanish Steps, where King Umberto I of Italy is waiting for them at the top)

Christie (making her way to the steps): Here are the Spanish Steps, Colin. Let's climb it at once.

Colin (holding Christie's hand): Wait, Christie. What is the question awaiting for us at the top? I would suspect that the question would be "how many steps did you climb?" Let's count the number of steps on the Spanish Steps as that would probably be part of the question.

(Cut to Colin and Christie making their way up the Spanish Steps, with Colin writing diligently in his journal as he walks up)

Colin (counting as he walks up): 98, 99, 100…. I'm recording the number of steps on the Spanish Steps not only as a means of keeping track but also to be educated on how many steps reside on this grand staircase. (Reaching the top of the Spanish Steps, where he bowed to King Umberto I of Italy while Christie curtsied) We have accomplished this noble task, sire.

King Umberto I of Italy: How many steps did you climb?

Colin (confidently): 138 steps.

King Umberto I of Italy (surprised): That's right. Here is your Fast Forward clue.

Colin (triumphantly): Thank you. (Rushing with Christie down the Spanish Steps, opening the clue at the bottom) Congratulations for winning the Fast Forward. Go directly to the next pit stop: The Apostolic Palace.

Phil: Having won the Fast Forward, Colin and Christie can skip all tasks and head directly to the pit stop: The Apostolic Palace. This residence of the Pope, the supreme leader of the Roman Catholic Church, is the pit stop for this leg of the race. The last team to check in here may be eliminated.

Colin (climbing back into the horse-drawn carriage with Christie): Off to the pit stop!

(Cut to the Roman Forum, where Charla and Mirna as well as Danny and Oswald have obtained their four photographs and are looking for the correct inscriptions, carrying a camera attached to a tripod with them)

Mirna (running through the Roman Forum): Roma. I love it. I love it very much. Viva Italia.

Charla (sees several blocks of marble with inscriptions on them): There are some words on these blocks, but none of them appear to have the words were desire.

Oswald (showing confusion on his face as he sees an endless amount of ruined marble): Danny. This is going to be harder than it appears.

(Cut to Kevin and Drew as well as Ken and Gerard reaching the Trevi Fountain, with both teams now filling up their jars with water from it)

Kevin (noticing the warm weather): It is indeed warmer down here than in France. No wonder Roman soldiers were eager to return here after long campaigns elsewhere in their empire.

Drew (continuing to fill up the jar): Of course. The Grand Tour had educated Europeans travelling to the warm climate of Italy to discover the wonders of Ancient Rome as well as the Renaissance. (Seeing Kevin's puzzled countenance) I read all that in the guidebook.

Ken (filling up the jar): I have the funny urge to drink something right now. All of a sudden, I'm thirsty.

Gerard (filling up the jar): I have that feeling too, Ken. I wonder why?

(Cut to Charla and Mirna in addition to Danny and Oswald searching the Roman Forum for their inscriptions)

Charla (standing on a block of marble to get a better view): Mirna. I can see everything from up here. Maybe I can find the correct inscriptions this way.

Mirna (standing on the block of marble with Charla): Good job, Charla. (Looking at the provided photographs) I would surmise that these inscriptions are found on a more complete structure rather than being in fragmented blocks. (Sees the triumphal archways in the distance) Let's go there. Danny and Oswald are sticking around here.

Danny (seeing Charla and Mirna rushing away from Oswald and him): Oswald. Where are Charla and Mirna going?

Oswald (seeing Charla and Mirna running away from them): Never mind them, Danny. Let's keep searching here.

(Cut to Ken and Gerard finishing the task of filling their jars with water, with Kevin and Drew not far behind)

Gerard (placing the last of the jars on the horse-drawn carriage): Kenny. Let's flip coins behind our backs and into the Trevi Fountain in order for us to return to this magnificent city.

Ken (turning his back to the fountain along with Gerard): I'm right behind you, Gerard. (Flipping a coin behind the fountain with Gerard) That's a promise we intend to keep: To return to Rome.

Kevin (placing the jars filled with water onto the horse-drawn carriage as he sees Ken and Gerard leaving for the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi): Drew. Ken and Gerard just left. We need to catch up to them.

(Cut to Colin and Christie arriving at Saint Peter's Square, where the Swiss Guards are holding with partisans in their hands as they march across the majestic square. After getting some directs from them, Colin and Christie find their way into the Apostolic Palace, with the pit stop specifically being the Pope's Bedroom.)

Pope Leo XIII: Welcome to the Vatican.

Colin and Christie: Thank you.

Phil: Colin and Christie. You're team number one. (Seeing Colin and Christie's looks of satisfaction) As the winners of this leg of the race, you've won an opportunity to have full-sized portraits of you painted by the finest artists in Italy. (Talking to Colin) So are you enjoying this race so far?

Colin (with giddy and joy): I'm having a great time on this race. Christie and I have won two legs, and we're far ahead of all the other teams. I think we got what it takes to win the one million dollars at the end of this race.

(Cut to Charla and Mirna reaching the Arch of Septimius Severus, where they have found the two inscriptions Popvli Romani and Optimis Fortissimisque at the arch)

Charla (seeing the two inscriptions): They're here Mirna. Take a picture of both of them.

Mirna (taking pictures of both inscriptions): Got them, Charla. (Sees the Arch of Titus) I think the inscription Senatus Populusque Romanus is found on that other archway. Let's go.

Charla (running with Mirna to the Arch of Titus, stopping when she sees an inscription at the Temple of Saturn): Wait, Mirna. I think this is another inscription we have to find.

Mirna (seeing the inscription Restituit): You're right, Charla. Let me take a picture of that. (Takes a picture of the inscription) I got it. I'm glad that you caught that, Charla. We might've been here for hours if you didn't spot that.

(Cut to Ken and Gerard gathering water from the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi as Kevin and Drew arrive shortly afterwards)

Gerard (sweating): Man. Gathering water is hard work when you need to deliver them around town. I now have great sympathy for the milkman traveling door to door in giving milk to his customers.

Young Italian Girl (Singing by the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi): Fratelli d'Italia, l'Italia s'è desta, dell'elmo di Scipio s'è cinta la testa. Dov'è la Vittoria? Le porga la chioma, ché schiava di Roma Iddio la creò. (Brothers of Italy, Italy has woken, Bound Scipio's helmet upon her head. Where is Victory? Let her bow down, for God created her slave of Rome).

Kevin (listening to the young Italian Girl singing the Italian hymn): I think she's also glad for the unification of her country. I guess the Italian people, like Americans, are also proud of their country for its people, its culture, and its landscape.

Drew (smiling): This is what I love about travelling. You meet different people who are different from you but also similar to you in more ways than you expect.

(Cut to Charla and Mirna taking a picture of the inscription Senatus Populusque Romanus on the Arch of Titus, with them seeing Danny and Oswald walking around aimlessly throughout the Roman Forum)

Charla (attempting to arrange their recently-taken photographs in the correct order): Danny and Oswald appear lost. We have a chance to pass them.

Mirna (seized with excitement): Got it, Charla. The order is Populusque Romanus Restituit Optimis Fortissimisque Popvli Romani. (Sees the judge approving of their work and handing over their next clue) Yes. Thank you.

Charla (opening the clue with Mirna): Travel to the site indicating the location of Saint Peter's tomb.

Phil: Teams will travel to the site indicating where Saint Peter was buried at: St. Peter's baldachin in St. Peter's Basilica. Designed by artist Gianlorenzo Bernini, this Baroque sculpted bronze canopy is where teams will find their next clue.

Mirna (getting into the horse-drawn carriage): Let's go, Charla. It's off to the Vatican we go.

(Cut to Ken and Gerard going into the Pantheon with their jars of water, with Kevin and Drew not far behind)

Gerard (receiving their clue after placing the jars under the oculus of the Pantheon): All right!

Kevin (seeing Ken and Gerard leaving the Pantheon as he and Drew are delivering jars of water to the judge): Is that enough? (Getting a sign of approval from the judge and being handed the clue) Yeah!

(Cut to Danny and Oswald searching for the inscriptions in the Roman Forum without success)

Oswald: Ayos mio! Where are these inscriptions, Danny?

Danny: Beats me, Oswald. We should hurry up before that second train arrives and then we'll really be in trouble.

(Cut to the second train arriving at the Roma Termini train station, where Rob is waving outside his train window to a crowd of flag waving Italians)

Rob (leaving the train with Amber): We're among the first people here. I think we have a chance to win this leg. These Italians are excited at my arrival. (Talks to an Italian man) How many teams come so far?

Italian man: Five teams.

Rob (shocked and horrified): Oh my goodness! Five teams already. (Gathering his thoughts) Damn. Five teams got an earlier train somehow.

Amber (nervous): I thought we've been in the lead this entire time.

Rob (recoiling in frustration and anger as Amber is visibly frightened): Unbelievable!

(Commercial Break)

(Cut to St. Peter's Square where Charla and Mirna are at. Passing by the Swiss Guards, Charla and Mirna make their way to St. Peter's baldachin, seeing the grandeur and glory of St. Peter's Basilica from the inside)

Mirna (reaching the cluebox and opening the clue inside): Roadblock. Who's ready for some back-breaking work?

Phil: A roadblock is a task that only one person may perform. In this roadblock, Teams will travel to the Sistine Chapel. Once there, one team member will lie down on their back, with a canvas replication of the Creation of Adam being placed above them. Here, team members will fill in the right colors of the actual Creation of Adam panel that Michelangelo painted, with the team members filling in the colors while lying down on their backs. When the painting has been completely filled in with the appropriate colors, they will receive their next clue.

Charla (reaching the clue with Mirna): I'm doing it, Mirna. We're already ahead of many of the other teams. We need to save some roadblocks for you at the end of the race. We need to go to the Sistine Chapel.

(Cut to Charla and Mirna reaching the Sistine Chapel, with Charla lying down on the floor. Above Charla is a recreation of the Creation of Adam, with a paintbrush and paint right beside her)

Charla (lying on the floor with the Creation of Adam above her and without color): Okay. I just need to fill in the colors to match the real thing in this very room.

Mirna (speaking quietly): If you're unsure of the colors needed to fill in, you can always walk underneath the real painting to see the colors in the right places.

Bishop (talking to another bishop): We usually don't allow cameras into the Sistine Chapel, but as the Amazing Race is an opportunity for the world to see the wonders of the earth, the Vatican decided to allow the Amazing Race production to enter into the Sistine Chapel as a means of showcasing the triumphant achievements of Michelangelo's work to millions of people worldwide.

(Cut to Rob and Amber panicking as they try to piece together their situation, with Dustin and Kandice, Joe and Bill, and Linda and Karen being unaware of being the last four teams on the race)

Rob (calming down): We made a huge mistake in telling Colin about the earlier train. We really need to hurry if we want to remain in the rest.

Dustin (seeing Rob on the platform): Hey Rob. Is there anything wrong?

Rob (seeing Dustin as he attempts to remain confident and optimistic) Nothing's wrong. In fact, Amber and I will get first place on this leg of the race. (Heading for the horse-drawn carriage) Let's go, Amber. We cannot afford any more mistakes today.

Dustin (seeing Rob and Amber hurrying towards their horse-drawn carriage): Kandice. I have a feeling that Rob wasn't honest about his statement about winning this leg. It's as if he was hiding the fact that we are the last four teams on the race.

Kandice (agreeing with Dustin): You're right, Dustin. We might in fact be one of the last teams on the race. (Showing signs of panic) We should finish the tasks as quickly and effectively as possible.

Joe (helping Bill get off the train): Don't worry, Bill. We're one of the first people to arrive in Rome. We should be able to rest easy on this leg.

Karen (helping Linda get off the train): We don't have a lot of pressure on this leg of the race. Let's just relax and enjoy the scenery now that we are among the first teams in Rome.

(Cut to Ken and Gerard as well as Kevin and Drew arriving in the Sistine Chapel after obtaining their clues from St. Peter's baldachin)

Gerard (seeing Ken getting under the canvas): Ken's doing the roadblock.

Drew (seeing Kevin getting under the canvas): Kevin's doing the roadblock.

Charla (voice-over): I knew that the roadblock required someone who had an eye for detail. So I went back and forth from the canvas to the actual painting in order to see what colors I needed to complete the painting correctly.

Mirna (seeing the extraordinary progress that Charla has done so far): Good job, Charla.

(Cut to the Colosseum, where Rob and Amber, Dustin and Kandice, Joe and Bill, and Linda and Karen are now retrieving their clues)

Rob (reading the clue): Detour. (Talking to Amber) I say we do Modern Rome.

Kandice (reading the clue): Detour. (Talking to Dustin) I think Modern Rome would be a better idea. (Sees Joe and Bill as well as Linda and Karen heading for the Roman Forum) Look like two other teams are doing the other detour.

(Cut to Danny and Oswald finally finding the correct inscription on the Temple of Saturn)

Danny (sees the inscription on the Temple of Saturn): Oswald. Here's one of the inscription. We walked past it several times. And if I am not mistaken, the other inscriptions are located on those two triumphal arches. Let's finish this detour.

Oswald (placing the inscriptions together correctly): I got it. Judge, is this correct? (The judge gives them a sign of approval and hands over the next clue) Thank you. (Opening and reading the next clue) Travel to the site indicating the location of Saint Peter's tomb. (Sees Joe and Bill as well Linda and Karen making their way through the Roman Forum) Ayos mio, Danny. We should get out of here as fast as we possibly can.

Joe (sees Danny and Oswald leaving the Roman Forum): Bill. I think we have a problem. It appears that Danny and Oswald, who were supposedly on the later train, have finished the task before us.

Linda (sees Danny and Oswald leaving the Roman Forum): Oh no, Karen. Danny and Oswald must have gotten on the earlier train, which means that the other teams were also on that earlier train. It means that we are among the last people in the leg of the race, which could lead to our elimination.

Bill (now aware of being at the bottom of the pack): Let's hurry, Joe. Let's not get eliminated by finishing this detour as quick as possible.

(Cut to Rob and Amber quickly filling up their jars with water, with Dustin and Kandice also racing to get their jars full)

Rob (carrying jars of water back to the horse-drawn carriage): Go, go, go. We can't be eliminated. Not today.

Kandice (seeing Rob sweating as he is carrying the jars of water): Hey Rob. Maybe you should let your mind relax as a way of conserving your energy and not make any fatal mistakes.

Rob (ignoring Kandice as he is focused on getting the detour done quickly): Okay, Amber. That's the last jar of water. Let's go to the other fountain and get to the Pantheon.

Dustin (seeing Rob and Amber leaving): I think these are the last two jars of water. (Talking to Kandice and taking out two coins, one for each of them) Let's try to relax our minds and toss the coin into the fountain as a sign that we wish to return to Rome. (Kisses the coin and tosses it behind their backs into the fountain's waters) I desire a trip back to Rome.

Kandice (voice-over): Our strategy throughout this race has been to conserve our energy and have fun along the way so that the other teams won't see us as a threat, but at the last few legs of the race, we intend to do whatever it takes to win the race.

(Cut to the Sistine Chapel where Charla, Kevin, and Ken are coloring in the Creation of Adam on their respective canvases. Just then, a congregation of priests entered into the Sistine Chapel, singing Hallelujah as they march through the chapel. Suddenly, rays of sunlight enter through the windows of the Sistine Chapel, bathing the room in warmth and comfort. It's as if the racers were performing the roadblock in God's peculiar light, embarking on the same daunting and demanding task that Michelangelo had to perform centuries earlier)

Mirna (seeing the rays of sunlight permeating throughout the Sistine Chapel and seeing them reflected off the paintings): It's as if a choir of angels is summoning the Lord Almighty himself to spread his benevolence into the Sistine Chapel, with the pearly gates of Heaven itself being unleashed onto a darkened world.

Charla (running back and forth from her unfinished canvas to the genuine painting on the ceiling): Just a few more finishing touches and then I'll be done. (Applying a few more touches to her canvas) Is this right, judge? (Judge nods his head and gives her the next clue) Thank you so much! May God bless you!

Mirna (jumping excitedly and running towards Charla to hug her, reading the clue afterwards): Make your way to the next pit stop: Apostolic Palace. Let's go Charla.

(Cut to Ken and Kevin continuing to paint as Charla and Mirna leave for the Apostolic Palace)

Ken (hearing Hallelujah from the priests as he sees candles being light): I love the mood the Sistine Chapel is setting me in. I can concentrate easier knowing that the Lord is cheering us on. Right now, angels are trumpeting my completion of the Creation of Adam. (Sees that he is done) I think I'm done, Gerard. (Sees judge give his sign of approval and being handed the next clue) Yes! We can go now, Gerard. Blessed be the brothers, for they will continue to travel around the world.

Kevin (seeing Ken and Gerard leaving the pit stop): I think we can follow them now, Drew. (Calls to judge) Can you see if my painting is correct, judge.

Judge (sees Kevin's filled canvas): No

Kevin (stunned): What? I don't get what's wrong with it. Let me see the actual Creation of Adam above me. (Walks underneath the genuine painting) Oh! God's clothing is supposed to be pink, not green. (Sees Danny and Oswald entering into the Sistine Chapel) Let's paint over the green with pink to rectify my mistake.

(Cut to Charla and Mirna reaching the pit stop)

Phil: Charla and Mirna. You're team number two. (Sees Charla and Mirna display of excitement as Ken and Gerard also reach the pit stop) Ken and Gerard. You're team number three.

(Cut to Rob and Amber as well as Dustin and Kandice reaching the Pantheon after having obtained water from the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi)

Amber (giving the jars of water to the judge): Is this enough? (Gets approval from the judge and is handed the clue) Thank you.

Kandice (giving the jars of water to the judge as Rob and Amber leave): Are these good? (Gets approval from the judge and is handed the clue). Thanks. (Starts walking out of the Pantheon as a ray of sunlight enter through the oculus of the Pantheon) Wow! The cloudiness of Rome's skies is being broken by rays of sunlight. Now the Pantheon looks breathtaking and fit for a place of worship for the masses passing through its doors.

(Cut to Joe and Bill as well as Linda and Karen searching the Roman Forum for their four inscriptions with little luck. As they are conducting the search, rays of sunlight fall upon the Roman Forum)

Joe (glad to see the sunlight): Oh good! Maybe the sunlight will help us find the inscriptions.

Bill (having a grin on his face): I hope so, Joe. (Passes by the inscription on the Temple of Saturn) I have complete confidence in finding it now.

Linda (passing by the inscription on the Temple of Saturn): It's like a game of hide and seek, Karen. Pretend the inscriptions are like our kids back home.

Karen (blinking her eyes rapidly): If these inscriptions are like our kids, then they're doing a good job of hiding from us.

Bill (voice-over): As I walked through the Roman Forum with Joe, I knew that we were among the last teams on the race. Even so, I could not help thinking about how the Forum we were walking through was once the beating heart of one of the most powerful empires in human history. Despite being in an intense competition for one million dollars, I couldn't help to take time out of being involved in the race to contemplate the fate of human societies, which oftentimes leads to the collapse of civilization.

Joe (voice-over): I saw Bill's expression of reverence for the Roman Forum, and once I saw the ruins of the Colosseum, I was also pondering how a once mighty civilization succumbed to decay and decline. Throughout my lifetime, I read several interpretations about how the Roman Empire fell. For example, Edward Gibbon's The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire believed that Rome collapsed as a result of a lack of civic virtue and an abandonment of the Roman state by its apathetic citizens. Of course, Gibbon was here in this very Forum, on his Grand Tour of Europe, that the idea for such a monumental book came into his mind. I for one don't know the exact cause for the destruction of the Roman Empire, but I can tell you that even the mightiest of entities can fall at any given time.

(Cut to Kevin and Oswald painting vigorously under their respective canvases)

Kevin (applying the finishing touches on his canvas): I finally got it. (Sees judge approving of the work and giving him the next clue) Thank you. (Opening and reading the clue as Drew runs towards him) We can go to the pit stop now, Drew.

Oswald (seeing Kevin and Drew leaving the Sistine Chapel): Please Lord. Get me through this roadblock. (Sees the huge amount of progress that still needs to be done) I really need to catch up.

Danny (sees Rob and Amber as well as Dustin and Kandice entering into the Sistine Chapel): Oswald. The teams from the later train are here. We need to pick up the pace.

(Cut to Rob and Dustin sliding quickly underneath their canvases and painting with all their might)

Oswald (seeing Rob and Dustin painting in a rapid, yet elegant manner): Wow! They're really good.

Rob (pausing to close his eyes as he paints in the uncolored canvas): I just need to relax and let my mind concentrate on the exceptionally beautiful paintings created by the extraordinary Michelangelo. (Stops to observe the other paintings in the Sistine Chapel) I will complete this roadblock faster if I do not worry about my progress.

Kandice (seeing Dustin performing the roadblock): How's the roadblock, Dustin?

Dustin (smiling towards Kandice): It's not bad. It's like a coloring book, only with one of the Western world's greatest work of art.

(Cut to Kevin and Drew reaching the pit stop in the Apostolic Palace)

Phil (seeing Kevin and Drew's relieved faces): Kevin and Drew. You're team number four.

(Cut to Oswald, Dustin, and Rob running back and forth from their canvases to the real Creation of Adam, checking to see if they have the right colors on their canvases)

Oswald (rubbing his back as he prepares to slide underneath the canvas): Danny. I must admit that lying down and painting a picture is harder than it sounds. Now that I have experienced it myself, I now have a newfound respect for Michelangelo, who spent years painting these pictures while lying on his back. (Seeing that he had now completed coloring in the canvas) And now I hope to gain Michelangelo's respect for my attempt of coloring in his masterpiece. (Sees the judge approving of his work and giving him the clue) Thank you, very much. (Opening and reading the clue with Danny) We can now travel to the pit stop, Danny.

Rob (racing with Dustin as he is coloring in his canvas, with the Chapel now engulfed in total darkness except for a few scattered candles): This is the Creation of Adam. (Pointing his paintbrush towards the Adam on his canvas) This is Adam, all weak and feeble. (Pointing his paintbrush towards God, stretching his arm towards Adam) This is God, all-knowing and all-powerful. (Turning his head towards the camera) I could say that I am like God, the most powerful and energetic being in existence. And these other racers are simply miniature Adams, who cannot simply operate without my presence. It is I who give these racers a purpose and it is I alone who can grant them the privilege of travelling further in this race. (Sees Michelangelo's painting The Last Judgment on the wall, where the Second Coming of Christ is depicted in exquisite detail) For those that refuse to follow me, they will simply be left behind when the time of judgment comes. (Calls to the judge to look at his work) Am I done? (Sees judge nods his hand and giving him the next clue) Thank you.

Dustin (seeing Rob and Amber leaving the Sistine Chapel with a smile on Rob's face): From the way Rob was talking over there, it would seem that he is portraying himself as Christ, who would vanish the condemned to the very pits of Hell. The trouble is that we don't know which racers are the saints and which ones are the sinners. The only strategy Kandice and I have is to lie low and watch the climactic battle unfound between Rob and several of his enemies.

Kandice (seeing Dustin breathing heavily): Are you all right there, Dustin?

Dustin (regaining her posture): Yeah. I'm good (Gets a sign of approval from the judge and being handed the clue) God bless. (Reading the clue with Kandice) I guess it's off to the pit stop.

(Cut to Danny and Oswald reaching the pit stop in the Apostolic Palace)

Phil (seeing Danny and Oswald hugging each other): Danny and Oswald. You're team number five.

(Cut to Rob and Amber arriving at the pit stop)

Phil (seeing Rob and Amber reaching the pit stop): Rob and Amber. You're team number six. So Rob, you gave quite a monologue back at the Sistine Chapel. Tell me what was that about?

Rob (gathering his thoughts): I was just saying what was on my mind. I believe that I am the best racer on this Amazing Race. Years from now, people will be talking about how I triumphed over the other racers, with their inferiority issues, by reaching the finish line first and winning the one million dollar prize. I can safely say that I am the most intelligent and aggressive racer on the Amazing Race. (Stretching out his arms) Look at me now. I'm still here despite my horrific setback. Let's just say that I'm here for the long run.

(Cut to Dustin and Kandice arriving at the pit stop)

Phil (seeing Dustin and Kandice holding their hands together as they reach the pit stop): Dustin and Kandice. You're team number seven. (Seeing Dustin and Kandice's excited reactions) So do you two believe that you're role models for every woman in the world?

Dustin (looking at Kandice with glee): I think Kandice and I are here to prove to the world that women can do anything men can, with the Amazing Race being our opportunity to prove that revolutionary notion to every women and girls watching us right now.

Kandice (agreeing with Dustin): As members of the women suffragist movement, we hope that our experience on the race would prove to Americans that women have the right to vote and become full participants in American society just like men.

(Cut to Joe and Bill as well as Linda and Karen searching through the Roman Forum for the inscriptions, with neither teams having much success)

Karen (shouting at Linda): Come on, Linda! We can get out of here sooner than Joe and Bill if we work at it.

Bill (seeing Karen supporting Linda along the way): Support me, Joe. Without you, I cannot be who I am today. We just need to spy on the Bowling Moms and follow them to where the inscriptions are.

Linda (seeing the inscription on the Temple of Saturn): Karen! I found it. We walked past it several times and never even noticed it.

Karen (running up to Linda): Way a go, Linda!

Joe (seeing Linda and Karen near the Temple of Saturn): There's an inscription over there, Bill.

Bill (catching up to Joe): Good eye, Joe! And if I'm not mistaken, Linda and Karen are indicating that the other inscriptions are on the two arches in the Roman Forum.

Karen (presenting their finished sentence to the judge and being handed the clue): We're still in it, Linda. Let's finish this leg for our kids.

(Cut to Linda and Karen riding off in their horse-drawn carriage as Joe and Bill are following behind them)

Linda (seeing Joe and Bill pursuing them): Joe and Bill are also finished? From how I saw them, I thought they were completely lost. Now it appears that they had a sudden burst of inspiration back there. I wonder how they got it.

Karen (looking at a map of Rome): I have no idea, Linda. But I do know this: whoever is the last team on this leg will probably get eliminated. So I would advise you to get to Saint Peter's Basilica as fast as you possibly can because we may be eliminated.

(Commercial Break)

(Cut to two horse-drawn carriages racing alongside each other, passing by the under-construction Victor Emmanuel Monument)

Bill (clenching his teeth as he is driving the horse-drawn carriage): Just a few more blocks and we'll be at Saint Peter's Basilica. (Looking in the passenger seat) Are you all right back there, Joe?

Joe (trying to keep his composure): Just keep going, Bill. We can't afford to lose this leg.

Karen (steering the horse-drawn carriage in a berserk manner): Linda! We're going to reach Saint Peter's Basilica before the Guidos. Just watch me.

(Cut to Saint Peter's baldachin, where Joe and Bill have reached the cluebox, with Joe trying to keep it together after being in the backseat of a fast-moving carriage)

Bill (reading the clue): Roadblock. Should I do this one, Joe? I want you to rest.

Joe (getting up from panting on the floor): No. I want to do this roadblock. You did the last one, so it's my turn to take upon the burden.

(Cut to the Sistine Chapel, where night has fallen as the last rays of sunshine has disappeared. The chapel is bathed in moonlight and several candles have been lit to provide lighting to the room itself. The doors open, with Joe and Bill arriving to perform the roadblock)

Bill (seeing Joe sliding underneath his canvas): When will you be done coloring in the Creation of Adam.

Joe (trying to adjust his eyes in the darkness of the chapel): When I say I'm done, I'll be done.

Bill (seeing Linda and Karen enter into the Sistine Chapel, with Karen sliding underneath her canvas): Look like this will be a fight for last place. Whoever completes the canvas first will be safe, and the team that finishes last will most likely be eliminated.

Joe (emerging from under the canvas to run towards the area where the Creation of Adam is displayed): I just need to see what the right colors are for the canvas. My team must make the canvas absolutely perfect for the judge.

Karen (filling the canvas with paint): It's like a coloring book with crayons. I can do this. (Sees Joe running back and forth from his canvas to an area directly underneath the Creation of Adam) What's Joe doing?

Linda (calling to Karen): Don't pay attention to Joe. Just focus on getting the right colors in the outlines.

Bill (seeing Joe squirming in pain): How are you holding up, Joe?

Joe (getting out from underneath the canvas and stretching his back): Not good. I can see why many people praise Michelangelo. He was willing to undergo an enormous amount of physical pain to paint the Sistine Chapel. As for me, my back is killing me from having to lie on the floor while performing physical labor. In fact, I can't really see what's above me in all this darkness. But nevertheless, I'm going to finish this task and have my team remain in the race.

Karen (having a difficult time seeing in the dark): I can't tell if this color is pink or green. I need more light to see the colors.

Linda (encouraging Karen): Think of your kids back home. They would proud of you right now. Just keep at it, and don't stop unless you're done.

Joe (continuing to paint his canvas): Whatever happens, I'm going to finish this task no matter what.

Linda (seeing Karen with a satisfied look on her face): Karen. Are you done?

Karen (applying the finishing touches): I think I'm done. (Calling to the judge) I'm I done?

Judge (seeing the canvas): No.

Karen (dissatisfied): What did I do wrong?

Linda (seeing Karen's disappointed face): Keep it together, Karen. Don't get frustrated.

Joe (seeing the judge reject Karen's canvas): I still have a chance to win this entire thing.

Bill (seeing Joe continuing to paint as he rubs his shoulder to relieve the pressure of lying on the floor): Whatever happens, I love you, Joe.

Joe (smiling back at Bill): I love you too, Bill.

Karen (looking back at her canvas): I made a mistake. The smaller piece of fabric is supposed to be green, not red. If I do this quickly, I may finish before Joe.

Linda (encouraging her teammate): Don't give up, Karen.

Joe (finishing up): I think I got it, Bill. Judge. Is this good?

Judge (giving him the next clue): It's good.

Joe (seeing Linda and Karen's looks of depression as he and Bill read the next clue): Make your way to the next pit stop: Apostolic Palace.

(Cut to Joe and Bill leaving the Sistine Chapel as Karen is finishing up her canvas)

Linda (seeing the canvas finished): Are you done, Karen?

Karen (emerging from beneath the canvas): I'm done. (Receiving the next clue from the judge) Thank you. (Reading the clue with Linda) Let's go. We can still beat Joe and Bill if we hustle.

(Cut to Joe and Bill looking through the various rooms of the Apostolic Palace)

Joe (looking into one room): This doesn't look right. The clue says to look in the Apostolic Palace. Well, we're here in the Apostolic Palace and where is the pit stop?

(Cut to Linda and Karen running through the corridors)

Karen (holding hands with Linda): We're so close, Linda. Just a few more paces.

(Cut to Joe and Bill looking at their clue again and scratching their heads)

Bill (turning his head left and right): Where is this pit stop?

Joe (having an epiphany): I think I know where the pit stop is! Come on, Bill!

(Cut to Linda and Karen running quickly)

Karen (running excitedly): We now know where the pit stop is! Let's do this for our children!

(Cut to a first person shot of the camera running to pit stop, where Phil and Pope Leo XIII are standing at)

Phil (seeing Joe and Bill reach the pit stop): Joe and Bill. You're team number eight. (Sees Joe and Bill patting each other on the back)

(Cut to Linda and Karen reaching the pit stop)

Phil (seeing Linda and Karen arriving at the pit stop): Linda and Karen. You're the last team to arrive. I'm sorry to tell you that you have been eliminated from the race. (Seeing Linda and Karen still smiling if a bit disappointed) So both of you had the intention to run this race for your children?

Linda (putting her arms around Karen's back): I think both of us have proved to our children that we, as middle-age moms, have what it takes to be a part of the most extraordinary race in history. I myself have flown off the Eiffel Tower to prove that point to my children.

Karen (proud of herself and Linda): No matter what happens now, our children and their children will always look back on this race and say that we, Linda and Karen, have made them proud by continuing to push forward and not give up in the face of adversity. (Camera shot of them walking away from the pit stop, with Karen and Linda still having their arms behind each other's backs) I think that will be an important lesson for our families for generations to come.

(End Credits)

Phil (voice-over): Stay tune for scenes from our next episode.

(Commercial Break)

Phil (voice-over): On the next episode of the Amazing Race.

(Cut to Venice, with landmarks such as the Grand Canal and the Piazza San Marco)

Phil (voice-over): Teams journey to the city of canals, where they will row gondolas.

Ken (falling off his gondola into the water, with spectators laughing and cheering him): Thank you, thank you!

Phil (voice-over): After travelling to Venice, teams will venture into the ancient Austro-Hungarian capital of Vienna.

Kandice (dancing with a gentleman in the Redouten Wing of the Hofburg Palace): You're a very fine and graceful dancer.

Kandice's gentleman (complimentary): You're very elegant at dancing, madam.

Phil (voice-over): And the clash of the titans is about to begin.

Christie (blocking the entrance to the train station, calling out to Colin to get back from the horse-drawn carriage): Come on, Colin.

Mirna (seeing Christie blocking the entrance): Excuse me.

Christie (remaining in position): Come on, Colin.

Mirna (getting angry and attempting to push Christie out of the way): Can you get out of the way? (Seeing Colin move past her, with him and Christie running as fast as they can towards the ticket office) Bitch move out of the way!

Kandice (seeing the enmity between the teams): It's like the clash of the titans. Some of these teams can't stand each other.

Dustin (agreeing with Kandice): With the hostilities and the hatred between some of these teams, we hope that they knock each other out of the race.

[END]

**A/N: In the previous episode, the racers jumping off the Eiffel Tower were performing a form of base jumping wearing a parachute suit. They weren't using actual parachutes. The task of them flying off the Eiffel Tower was based on Franz Reichelt's attempt to base jump off the Eiffel Tower in 1912, who was wearing a parachute suit. Sorry for the confusion. Anyway, please review the story, informing me about your favorite and least favorite racers. Tell me if the racers in this story are like their real-life counterparts on the first eleven seasons of the American version of the Amazing Race. **


	4. It's Like the Clash of the Titans

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Amazing Race. It is the property of CBS**

The Amazing Race 1889: An Epic Amazing Race Story Based on the First Eleven Seasons

Episode 4: It's Like the Clash of the Titans

(Shot of the Eiffel Tower and the romantic city of Paris)

Phil (voice-over): Previously on the Amazing Race, nine teams departed from Paris to the Italian capital of Rome. Before departing for Rome, Colin and Christie were faced with teams conspiring against them.

Colin (shouting at Mirna in the Palais Garnier): Look! My bags are underneath my seat.

Charla: Okay! We're going.

Colin: Get out my sight, Mirna and Schmirna.

Mirna (throwing her opera glove to the ground): These people are maniacs. (Speaking in Armenian) Maniacs. They're maniacs.

Phil (voice-over): Rob tried to conspire against Colin, telling him that there was an earlier train to Rome.

Rob (moving a chess piece and resetting the clock timer): Well versed, my good man. Since God has decided that I would be the one to win the race, I will give you this advice: There's an earlier train to Rome than the one shown on the ticket displayed on this table.

Phil (voice-over): A plan that backfired spectacularly.

Rob (leaving the train with Amber): We're among the first people here. I think we have a chance to win this leg. These Italians are excited at my arrival. (Talks to an Italian man) How many teams come so far?

Italian man: Five teams.

Rob (shocked and horrified): Oh my goodness! Five teams already. (Gathering his thoughts) Damn. Five teams got an earlier train somehow.

Amber (nervous): I thought we've been in the lead this entire time.

Rob (recoiling in frustration and anger as Amber is visibly frightened): Unbelievable!

Phil (voice-over): In the end, Colin and Christie were able to land another first place win on the race.

Phil: Colin and Christie. You're team number one. (Seeing Colin and Christie's looks of satisfaction)

Phil (voice-over): And Linda and Karen arrived in last place.

Phil (seeing Linda and Karen arriving at the pit stop): Linda and Karen. You're the last team to arrive. I'm sorry to tell you that you have been eliminated from the race.

Phil (voice-over): Eight teams remain. Who will be eliminated next?

(Introduction sequence: Charla and Mirna, Rob and Amber, Ken and Gerard, Kevin and Drew, BJ and Tyler, Joe and Bill, Colin and Christie, Linda and Karen, Danny and Oswald, Dustin and Kandice, Flo and Zach)

(Cut to a shot of Rome, containing cultural treasures like the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and St. Peter's Basilica. Phil is standing in St. Peter's Square as the Swiss Guards are marching around him)

Phil (standing in St. Peter's Square): This is Rome. For almost two thousand years, this city was the center of the civilized world, spanning from the Roman Empire to its renewal under the Renaissance. And at the heart of the city, St. Peter's Basilica. This capital of Catholicism was the third pit stop in a race around the world. (Montage of teams arriving at the pit stop) Teams arrive at the pit stop for a mandatory rest period. The eight teams waiting here have no idea what's in store for them. (Cut to a clip of Colin and Christie reaching the pit stop) Having won the last leg, Colin and Christie each won an opportunity to have life-sized portraits of them done by professional Italian artists.

(Cut to Colin and Christie at the Villa Borghese Pinciana, where Colin and Christie were posing themselves for formal portraits. Colin was mounted on a horse dressed in a Napoleonic military uniform, while Christie was sitting on a couch in Regency Era clothing looking like a Roman Empress. Colin was dictating to the painters the precise details on how to paint the portrait)

Colin (pointing his hands enthusiastically at the unfinished canvas): I want the trees over there. I demand the horse to be standing on its hind legs. It would seem more beneficial if I had a cloak surrounding me, with myself mounted on the triumphal horse). (Talking to the camera) I want this painting to be emblematic of my personality: Energetic, aggressive, and graceful. If I could display this painting to my fellow racers, they would react with awe and terror.

(Cut to a shot of Colin and Christie arriving at the pit stop)

Phil (voice-over): Colin and Christie, who arrived at 2:00 P.M., will depart first at 2:00 A.M.

(Cut to Colin and Christie, opening their clue in the Apostolic Palace)

Christie (reading the clue): Travel to the world-renown city of Venice.

Phil (voice-over): Teams will travel by train to the famous city of Venice. Once there, teams will reach the city center. At the city center, teams will find their next clue at the Horses of Saint Mark embedded in St. Mark's Basilica.

Colin (gathering his bags): Alright. Let's go to the Roma Termini train station.

Christie (following Colin to the parked carriage right outside of Saint Peter's Square): Right behind you, Colin.

Colin (voice-over): Seeing my past two victories on this race, I realized that I have proven my word of being the most competitive and aggressive person on this race. I intend to uphold my high standards of success throughout this entire race.

(Cut to Charla and Mirna opening up their clue)

Charla (reading the clue): Travel to the world-renown city of Venice.

Mirna (gathering her belongings and following Charla out to their horse-drawn carriage): Let's go, Charla.

Charla (voice-over): I feel like there are some racers who feel that dwarfs are sub-human, not worthy of being treated like human beings with emotions. I am not intimidated by them and their insults against me, for I will prove to them that I am stronger and more competitive than them.

(Cut to Colin and Christie arriving at the Roma Termini, with Colin taking out the bags as Christie is blocking the entrance to the train station. Soon, Charla and Mirna arrive at the train station from their horse-drawn carriage, with both racers eager to enter into the train station)

Christie (blocking the entrance to the train station, calling out to Colin to get back from the horse-drawn carriage): Come on, Colin.

Mirna (seeing Christie blocking the entrance): Excuse me.

Christie (remaining in position): Come on, Colin.

Mirna (getting angry and attempting to push Christie out of the way): Can you move out of the way? Ass (Seeing Colin move past her, with him and Christie running as fast as they can towards the ticket office) Bitch move out of the way!

(Cut to Colin and Christie ordering tickets to Venice, with Charla and Mirna glaring at them with hatred)

Mirna (talking to the camera): That Christie is such a bitch.

(Cut to the rest of the racers arriving at the Roma Termini)

Colin (speaking to Dustin and Kandice, Kevin and Drew, and Ken and Gerard while smoking a pipe): Pardon me, gentlemen and ladies. I would like to announce that I have won two legs in this race through my own iron will and grit. (Darting his eyes towards Charla and Mirna, who were chatting with Rob and Amber) As you can see over your shoulders, Charla and Mirna are conspiring with Rob in eliminating all of us from this race. I am your friend. I want to help you get through this race without being slaughtered by an alliance of Rob and Amber as well as Charla and Mirna. (Handing over a card to each team and walking with Christie towards the station's restaurant) I'll see you in due time.

(Cut to Charla and Mirna discussing their dilemma with Rob and Amber as well as Danny and Oswald)

Charla (lifting up her arms in a dramatic pose to convey the injustice done to her by Colin and Christie): Christie was blocking the train station's doors as if she had control of the whole train station.

Mirna (crossing her arms in frustration): Christie is one evil bitch.

Rob (placing his hand on his chin in deep concentration): How about this? Amber and I will leave all of you alone to discuss this situation. (Handing over a card to each team) If you need us for support, just read the information on these cards and meet us later.

(Cut to Colin and Christie eating in the train station restaurant, with Colin holding a pocket watch in his hand)

Colin (seeing Dustin and Kandice, Kevin and Drew, and Ken and Gerard entering the restaurant): Ah! You came. (Closing the pocket watch in his hand) Welcome to our exclusive club. (Kissing Dustin and Kandice's hands) I must say that you two are looking lovely today.

Dustin (flattered): Thank you, Colin.

Kandice (flattered): We are delighted to be in your company.

Colin (looking pleased as he sees Dustin and Kandice, Kevin and Drew, and Ken and Gerard taking their seats as they are ordering their meals): Good. Let's get down to business. As you all know, I have two enemies in this race: Rob and Amber as well as Charla and Mirna. To me, Rob is an ignorant barbarian unaccustomed to the rules of civilized warfare, manipulating other people in helping him out without so much as to lift a finger in performing his own work. Amber, of course, is his willing accomplice in assisting this cretin. Rob is a classic case of a spoiled little boy, meaning that he has everything handed down to him on a silver platter. Charla and Mirna are even worse. Mirna is an aberration of nature, a human in name only. She is what I would call a medusa: her penetrating glare would turn anyone into stone from being horrified by her cruelty and inhumanity.

Kevin (drinking a glass of wine as he looks on with a puzzled expression on his face): Wow. And I thought this was just a fun, little race around the world.

Colin (shaking his head): No, Kevin. We are talking about a full-on war against the forces of darkness and savagery that walk among us. This is a matter of life and death for all of us. Our very existence is at risk. (Tilting his head forward) I cannot allow any of you to fall victim to Rob's temptation or Mirna's seduction. I want to help every one of you. If I help you, you help me. Got it.

Christie (talking enthusiastically to the table): So basically, if you with us, you get information. If you're not in, you get no information and will be considered an enemy by Colin and me.

Colin (pointing his finger to the occupants of the table): Oh by the way. I paid for all of your meals at this table.

(Cut to the nervous and scared expressions on Dustin and Kandice, Ken and Gerard, and Kevin and Drew as they are dining on their meals)

Kandice (looking towards Dustin and then towards Colin): Alright. Count us in.

Drew (looking down at his plate): I guess we have no other choice then.

Ken (looking down at his Napoli pizza): I'll join if it means you pay for an extra pizza.

Colin (shaking everyone's hands): Good. Pleasure doing business with you.

(Cut to Rob and Amber, who are seated just a few tables away from Colin and Christie's table. Rob sees Charla and Mirna as well as Danny and Oswald arriving at the table)

Rob (standing up to greet the teams): Welcome. Welcome. I see that you received the cards requesting that all of you join Amber and me to a delightful meal.

Mirna (feeling uneasy about the invitation as Rob kisses her on the cheek): Oh. Thanks for that.

Rob (pushing in everyone's chairs after having been seated): It's nothing really. I just want to hear about and understand your problems. So what's bothering you lately, Mirna?

Mirna (clearing her throat and launching into a tirade against Colin and Christie): Even though Colin and Christie are the scum of the earth, they think they own the earth. (Drinks a glass of wine, slamming the glass cup onto the table as she sees Colin and Christie chatting with the other racers at a separate table) He leeches onto weak people and gets rid of them one at a time, one at a time. And these people are so weak they can't even see it.

Rob (drinking a cup of wine): I hear you. Those other racers are so pathetic that they're like a flock of sheep, heading into the mouth of the beast known as Colin. Don't worry. I'm a compassionate guy. I'll make sure that you won't be eaten wholesome by Colin and his dimwitted partner.

Charla (seeing Mirna stare at Dustin and Kandice with loathing): What's wrong, Mirna?

Mirna (turning away from Dustin and Kandice): I just can't believe that Dustin and Kandice would want to become allies with Colin and Christie. They are not acting like independent women. Right now, Colin is pretending to be a chivalrous knight in order to attract them to his side, and Dustin and Kandice are falling right into his trap. I, on the other hand, am making my own decisions without the help of any man.

Charla (whispering into Mirna's ear): Aren't we making a pact with Rob right now, meaning that we are doing the exact same thing as Dustin and Kandice are.

Mirna (refuting Charla's claim): Oh I'm making my own decision alright. I am making an alliance with Rob in order to win the race. Dustin and Kandice are entering an agreement with Colin and Christie just because Colin is physically attractive to them. I just hate narrow-minded people. (Whispering to Charla) Remember Charla. We are marked to be eliminated by all of these other teams, whose only goal is to exterminate us off the face of the earth.

(Cut to Colin and Christie laughing with his new allies: Dustin and Kandice, Kevin and Drew, and Ken and Gerard)

Colin (shaking the hands of everyone at the table): Thank you for becoming members of my alliance. (Pulls out train tickets for everyone) I bought everyone train tickets to Venice by way of Florence. (Getting up from the table with Christie) I wish all of you luck on the Amazing Race.

(Cut to Rob and Amber handing out train tickets to Venice by way of Bologna to Charla and Mirna as well as Danny and Oswald. As Colin's group and Rob's group leave the restaurant, Joe and Bill are eating at a nearby table contemplating the situation with the other teams)

Joe (holding a fork and knife in his hand as he is eating): How come we weren't invited by the other teams to join their little alliance?

Bill (looking at Joe): Because they think we're useless old men who can't race for a damn. They think we're past our prime and are easy targets for elimination. (Smiling at Joe) But don't worry, we'll allow these other teams to tear at each other while we'll just gently slide ourselves to winning that one million dollar prize.

Joe (getting up from the table with Bill): You're right, Bill. Come on. Let's buy our own train tickets.

(Cut to Dustin and Kandice walking out of the train station and discussing their alliance with Colin and Christie and their new rivalry with Rob's group. Through the window behind them, Colin was standing in a straight formation with his allies, staring directly at Rob's allies whom also took the same position in looking at Colin with enmity)

Kandice (seeing the enmity between the teams): It's like the clash of the titans. Some of these teams can't stand each other.

Dustin (agreeing with Kandice): With the hostilities and the hatred between some of these teams, we hope that they knock each other out of the race.

Kandice (looking directly at Dustin): We can defeat Rob and Amber as well as Colin and Christie if we can just let them fight amongst themselves rather than focus on the race itself. All we have to do is to lie low and remain inconspicuous to everyone on the race.

Dustin (looking behind her at Rob, who was smiling and waving at everyone as he leads his group towards their train platform): Rob is incredibly cocky for his own, preferring to put on a spectacle for his supporters rather than concentrate on running the race himself. I predict that his downfall would come from being preoccupied by his own appearance and image rather than delivering practical results.

Kandice (recalling their conversation with Colin in the restaurant): Colin views himself as a general commanding his troops on the battlefield. For him, it doesn't matter if many soldiers die fighting the enemy as long as he wins and earns the glory himself. Indeed, Colin believes us to be the pawns on a chessboard, expendable for his own purpose and utterly non-sentient regarding our unflinching obedience towards his cause.

Dustin (nodding her head): I agree, Kandice. If we are to defeat Colin, we must feign ignorance and wait for the right opportunity to strike back against him. In other words, we must tread carefully around Colin and Christie until it is time for us to seize control of the entire race.

Christie (opening the door to peek outside the train station): Is everything alright?

Dustin (putting on a friendly smile): Oh yes! Kandice and I were just discussing how great it is to be in Colin's group.

Christie (smiling back at Dustin): I know. He is a marvelous man. Full of ambition, courage, and intelligence. You're lucky to be in a team with him.

(Cut to Colin's group of teams climbing onto the train heading through Florence, with Rob's group of teams climbing onto the train travelling through Bologna)

Bill (talking to the ticket attendant): Two tickets to Venice on the Bologna route. (Handed the train tickets) Thank you.

(Cut to Joe and Bill getting on the train travelling through Bologna, with them walking through the aisles past Rob's group)

Rob (seeing Joe and Bill): Hey! How come you don't want to be a part of my alliance?

Bill (staring back at Rob): Oh you remember us now, don't you? Well we don't want to be a part of your alliance.

Joe (looking directly at Rob): Yeah. We are neither a part of Colin's group or your group. We have in fact proclaimed neutrality in this little war. (Walking to the back of the train with Bill) Bill and I will be interested in running our own race.

(Cut to Colin's group travelling on the train to Florence, where Colin currently have a map of Venice laid out in front of him. On the map, several condiments were placed upon it)

Colin (placing his hand on his chin): Now, this is a well-laid out battle map. (Pointing to a fork on the map) Charla and Mirna are shoddy at best. It probably means that they would get lost at the top of St. Mark's Bell tower, probably to get a better view of the city. (Pointing to a knife on the map) Now Rob and Amber are the team to beat. They would probably catch up to Christie and me. I would surmise that there's going to be a roadblock involving the rowing of a gondola, and seeing that Rob appears to have a greater amount of upper body strength, I would predict that he would beat me in this task. But not to worry, I'll make sure to eat away at his advantage as much as possible.

(Cut to Ken and Gerard, Kevin and Drew, and Dustin and Kandice walking through the entire train, with Christie following right behind them)

Kevin (trying to catch up with Drew): So what exactly are we looking for Drew?

Drew (looking back at Kevin): Information, Kevin. Specifically information we can use to give to Colin as a favor for helping us earlier. (Sees Christie walking behind them) That being said, I feel rather uncomfortable at being tailed by Christie.

Gerard (walking up to a group of Italian soldiers drinking wine): Excuse me. Can you tell me all of these following things: the salinity of the water in Venice, the annual wind speed in Venice, the average amount of oxygen in Venice, the length and width of the gondolas, and the population density of the city itself?

Italian soldier (looking perplexed): You must really be prepared to go on a trip to Venice.

Gerard (looking at the list compiled by Colin): Actually. It's for our friend in the front of the train. His name is Colin by the way.

Italian soldier (suddenly looking excited): You know Colin? He's one of the greatest travelers in the world. I heard from my fellow soldiers that Colin actually manned a steam train and made it travel faster than any of our conductors. That man is an absolute genius.

Colin (coming from the front of the train): What have you been saying about me?

Italian soldier (looking up to Colin in reverence): I was saying that you are one of the greatest world travelers in history.

Colin (smiling): I am flattered. I salute you for that compliment. (Placing his arms over Gerard and Dustin) These people right here are my friends. We are a band of brothers and sister working together to win the Amazing Race. (Facing Gerard) Did you get all of my questions answered on that list of mine?

Gerard (smiling back): I'm going to.

Colin (chuckling): Good. (Speaking to all of the racers): All of you are my friends and comrades. We will help each other throughout this entire race no matter the circumstances. (Patting Gerard and Dustin on the back and walking to the front of the train) Now if you will excuse me, I have an appointment with the conductor.

(Cut to the Bologna train station, where Rob and Amber are sitting on the train while Charla and Mirna as well as Danny and Oswald are outside gathering information about Venice)

Amber (looking as Mirna is trying to speak to a panicking man as Charla is trying to restrain her): Look at our alliance, Rob. You were able to convince them to join our little group because of your trickery and good looks.

Rob (smiling): I know, Amber. I am now a general and messiah to these two teams. In order to stay on this race, they will no choice but to obey my every command. (Laughing evilly) Oh I just love that feeling of control! Now with Charla and Mirna as well as Danny and Oswald at my mercy, I will now be guaranteed to win this race by dragging along two weak teams alongside Amber and me. (Laying back on his seat while holding his cane) No more mistakes. I will do whatever it takes to win this race.

(Cut to Charla and Mirna watching a puppet show with Danny and Oswald)

Mirna (staring at a soldier puppet being commanded by strings): Is it just me or did we just signed a deal with a devil who wants us to obey his every move?

Danny (looking at Oswald): We didn't seem to raise any objections toward the entire affair, Oswald. I was sure that you would try to rebuke Rob about his offer.

Oswald (staring at the puppet on the string and then towards Danny): I was thinking about objecting to Rob, but just as I was about to speak, a rational thought entered into my mind: Fight with stealth and wit. If I had spoken out against Rob, I would have been seen as a direct enemy of his and would be hunted down like the prey of a starving lion. By feigning complicity and stupidity, we can now get Rob's support and have Colin's alliance believe that we only joined Rob's side due to fear and ignorance rather than as a long-term strategy in winning the race. Is that a good enough reason for our silence in the restaurant?

Danny (looking astonished at Oswald's intelligence): Yes. I just love the way you think, Oswald. This is why I am your best friend.

Charla (talking to Mirna): Mirna. How about we become friends with Danny and Oswald so that we would be able to help each other out in the race after we cut the strings to Rob's dubious alliance?

Mirna (staring at Danny and Oswald): I don't know, Charla. People in general are cruel and untrustworthy creatures. (Pausing to think) Though I must admit that Danny and Oswald look like very nice people.

Charla (talking to Mirna): Come on, Mirna. Trust me.

Mirna (sighing and forging a smile): Alright. (Speaking to Danny and Oswald) Hey Danny and Oswald? Can we become close friends with you so that we may eventually knock Rob out of the race?

Oswald (smiling back): Yeah sure.

Mirna (smiling with relief): I think we're going to be good friends in the end. (High-fiving everyone in this new friendship) To our new and pure alliance.

(Cut to Colin's team on the train that is now approaching the Venezia Santa Lucia railway station after traveling through Florence)

Colin (standing in the front of the train with a cup of tea with a thermometer in it reading 97ºF): I made some good time with this train. I think my alliance arrived at Venice earlier than Rob's group.

(Cut to Rob' teams on the train that is now approaching the Venezia Santa Lucia railway station after traveling through Bologna)

Rob (handing out money to the workers shoveling coal): Here's your payment for making the train go faster. (Looks out of the window) I see Colin's train. Go faster, men!

Colin (looking out the window to see Rob's train propelling itself forward): No! (Dropping his cup of tea onto the floor) How did they catch up to us!? (Turns to the men shoveling coal) Faster driver. They're gaining on us.

Rob (walking to the passenger section of the train): Okay everyone. I want you to cheer for this train to go faster by hurling insults towards the opposing train and to make some noise of triumph with your peers.

Colin (walking to the passenger section of the train): I want everyone here to waving your Italian flags outside the window and to stomp your feet as a way of making this train go faster. Let's do it!

(Cut to both trains making their way to the Venezia Santa Lucia railway station, with the windows of both trains being opened as the Italian passengers are shouting incoherently at each other. Noises of both a human and a mechanical origin are emanating from the two trains racing against each other side to side)

Rob (seeing the main station emerging): We're almost there! Keep at it, men!

Colin (seeing the main station emerging): We can make it, everyone! Go! Go! Go!

(Commercial Break)

(Cut to two trains racing neck and neck towards the train station)

Rob (seeing the main station emerging): We're almost there! Keep at it, men!

Colin (seeing the main station emerging): We can make it, everyone! Go! Go! Go!

(Cut to the trains reaching a complete stop at the train station, with … both trains reaching a tie at the train station. Colin and Rob are staring at each other from their respective trains. They both immediately make their way through the passenger cars to retrieve their partner and their bags)

Colin (already off the train with Christie): Alright everyone! (Helping Ken get off the train as Gerard, Dustin and Kandice, and Kevin and Drew stepped onto the platform) Let's go! St. Mark's Basilica isn't far from here.

Rob (leading Amber, Charla and Mirna, and Danny and Oswald out of the train station. A local was leading all of them to St. Mark's Basilica): I found a local to lead us to St. Mark's Basilica. Follow him.

(Cut to Colin's group reaching St. Mark's Basilica, finding the cluebox next to the Horses of Saint Mark)

Christie (opening the clue and reading it): Roadblock. Who's not afraid of getting wet?

Phil: A roadblock is a task that only one person may perform. In this roadblock, teams will travel to a marked gondola loading station just off of Saint Mark's Square. Once there, one team member will row gondolas through the water-filled canals of Venice. These gondolas contain two locals who will be enjoying a romantic meal while they are being rowed by the racers. Once the team member rows their gondolas to Rialto Bridge, they will receive their next clue.

Colin (taking a look at the clue): I'll do it. Now where is that marked gondola loading station?

Ken (reading the clue): Roadblock. Who's not afraid of getting wet? (Pausing to think) I'm going to do it.

Kandice (reading the clue): I'm doing it.

Kevin (reading the clue): I'm doing it. (Looking around St. Mark's Square) Now where's the blasted gondola?

Colin (taking out his anemometer to measure the wind speed): Conditions look right for rowing. (Sees Rob's group arriving at St. Mark's Basilica, strangely without Charla and Mirna) Well I better get going.

Rob (taking a look at the clue): I think I will be rowing because I have more upper body strength.

(Cut to the following racers performing the roadblock: Colin, Rob, Kandice, Kevin, Ken, Oswald, and Joe)

Colin (measuring the precise temperature of the water with a thermometer to the perplexed looks of the Italian couple): We'll be departing in a few moments. (Sees Rob departing immediately, causing Colin to leap onto the gondola) Let's get going!

(Cut to Charla and Mirna reaching Saint Mark's Square, with both of them panting in exhaustion)

Mirna (bending down to catch her breath): We must have gotten lost behind there. That's why we couldn't catch up the rest of the racers following that Italian man.

Charla (sees St. Mark's Campanile): Never mind that. I think the clue is up there. (Walks with Mirna to St. Mark's Campanile and past the cluebox at St. Mark's Basilica) I'm sure of it.

(Cut to the rest of the racers struggling with rowing their gondola. Only Rob and Colin managing to leave the station)

Kandice (attempting to move the gondola to no avail): Come on! (The gondola remains in its place) Move! (The gondola doesn't move) Well at least the married couple is having a good time. (Sees the Italian couple smiling awkwardly) Don't worry. I'll get you to your destination.

Joe (breathing heavily as he puts his oar down into the water): Take it slow and steady, Joe. (Looks as his gondola moves in a forward direction) I got it.

Oswald (looking at his hands on the oar): Okay hands. Let's see what you can do. (Steadies his hand, and to his amazement, the gondola is moving in his desired direction) I did it! (Sees Kandice getting the hand of it as well) I better hurry up.

(Cut to Charla and Mirna climbing the many steps of St. Mark's Campanile)

Mirna (helping Charla up the flight of stairs): Are you sure the clue is up here?

Charla (looking somewhat doubtful): I have the feeling it's not up here.

Mirna (reaching the top of the tower, looking around for the cluebox): I don't think it's here. (Walks to the ledge of the tower) At least the view is nice from up here.

Charla (climbing onto a crate to get a view of the entire city of Venice, seeing the Grand Canal and the lagoon upon which Venice is situated within): It's beautiful up here. (Sees some gondolas bumping into each other) Look! There are some teams down there. Let's go find that cluebox at the ground level.

(Cut to Kevin and Ken, who are now having an incredibly difficult time rowing their gondolas)

Kevin (bumping into gondolas rowed by the locals): Move out of the way. This isn't a New York City intersection. (Sees Mirna getting onto the gondola and rowing away with lightning speed) How did she do that?

Ken (shifting his body towards the edge of the boat): Well I must say, this isn't a horse-drawn carriage. (Speaking to Kevin) We're two fat guys treading water right here.

Kevin (laughing with Ken): I know, Ken. By this rate, we should reach Rialto Bridge in a month.

Ken (looking at the water below): That water looks awfully cold and deep.

Kevin (looking at the water below): And I would bet that one of us would fall into it in 3, 2, 1.

Ken (falling off his gondola into the water, with spectators laughing and cheering him): Thank you, thank you!

Kevin (helping Ken up onto his gondola): We may be terrible at rowing gondolas, but at least we're entertaining everyone here.

Italian couples on the gondola (smiling and whispering in each other ears): This is the most enjoyable meal ever.

(Cut to Colin and Rob rowing ferociously against each other through the canals of Venice)

Rob (bumping his gondola against Colin's): Get out of the way. I'm going to finish this roadblock first.

Colin (staring at Rob with a smile): Takes us back to New York, doesn't it.

Rob (glaring back at Colin with a smile): Yup. Here we are, two alpha males, vying to see who's the manliest of them all. (Grabbing a flower from a Italian woman from a passing gondola) Everybody just loves me for me. I am beloved by all people.

Colin (rowing his gondola ever more quickly, bending down to speak to the couple in front of him): Do you love me? Do you?

Rob (seeing Colin's Italian couple giving awkward glances at each other): You're not charming at all. (Sees the Italian couple on his own boat giving reluctant smiles) See. I'm the charming one here. A charming and intelligent man, that is.

(Cut to Joe rowing their boat through the canals, passing by a couple of dogs along the way)

Joe (seeing a fox terrier on the street alongside the canal): Hey! There's my dog over there. (Reaching into his pocket and grabbing a dog treat for the fox terrier) Good boy. Good boy. (Sees Kandice rowing past him) Damn it Joe! You got to start becoming more competitive.

(Cut to Oswald rowing into an intersection in the canals)

Oswald (singing romantically to the Italian couple): Laaaaaaa! (Italian couple clapping enthusiastically) Thank you. I learned how to sing from Danny, my very best friend.

Mirna (catching up to Oswald): You're such a good singer, Oswald.

Oswald (looking at Mirna, who is rowing besides him): Thank you, Mirna. How about you sing yourself?

Mirna (laughing): No. I'm not the singing type.

Oswald (trying to convince Mirna to change her mind): Come on, Mirna. Let's see you try to sing.

Mirna (clearing her throat): Okay. Ahhhhh! (Sees everyone in the vicinity covering their ears) How's that.

Oswald (attempting to keep a straight face): Um. You could have been worse.

Mirna (laughing nervously): Thanks Oswald for your honesty.

(Cut to Ken and Kevin still at the starting point, evidently not having moved as much as a few meters)

Ken (reflecting on their lack of movement): Well we're making good time. (Sees Kevin falling into the water with everyone cheering and laughing) Oh man. That made my day.

Kevin (in the water and attempting to get back onto the gondola): Well I needed a drink of water, though I believe this is a bit excessive. (Sees Ken falling into the water again) Let's get our fat asses up onto these gondolas and row.

Ken (finally getting the gondola to move in the right direction after getting back onto it): I got it, now!

Kevin (following close behind Ken's gondola): Right behind you, buddy!

(Cut to the gondola race happening between Rob and Colin, with Rob shifting his gondola in a horizontal direction to block Colin from passing him)

Colin (seeing Rob's blocking the way): Hey get out of the way!

Rob (satisfied with his tactic as he faces Colin): No! I'm going to finish first, and there's nothing you do about it. (Turns around and sees a bridge closing in front of him) Oh s… (Hits his head on the bridge as he falls into the water).

Colin (seeing Rob fall in the water as the empty gondola in front of him is now turning in a vertical direction, allowing him to row past it): Now I can get ahead of Rob.

Rob (soaking wet as he gets back onto his gondola, seeing Colin row past him): Don't worry, Colin. I'll just get past you, myself.

(Cut to Colin seeing the Rialto Bridge in front of him, with all of the racers' other teammates waiting for them there)

Colin (seeing Christie looking proud as she waves a handkerchief in his honor): Don't worry, Christie! I'm coming! (Sees a gondola shooting out of nowhere in front of him) What the!

Rob (rowing vigorously towards Rialto Bridge): Here I am, Amber! I'm the best man here!

Amber (running towards Rob as he disembarks and kissing him): Oh Rob! You're the first one here.

Rob (being handed the clue and opening it up): I know! (Reading the clue) Travel by train to Vienna.

Phil (voice-over): Teams will travel by train to the city of Vienna, capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Once there, teams will drive their own horse-drawn carriages to Tiergarten Schönbrunn (Schönbrunn Zoo). Located on the grounds of the Austro-Hungarian Emperor's summer palace, it is the oldest zoo in the world. Teams will find their next clue near the giraffe exhibit.

Amber (reading the clue as well): Let's go back to the train station. (Sees Colin getting off the gondola) Let's go.

Christie (reading the clue and seeing Rob and Amber departing): Don't worry, Colin. Rob and Amber are just a few seconds ahead of us.

Colin (reading his pocket watch and closing it with excessive force): I predicted this might happen, Rob getting ahead of me that is. But we're going to get onto the first train to Vienna before he does.

(Cut to Kandice making to Rialto Bridge, with Colin and Christie running towards the train station)

Kandice (getting off the gondola): Well that was fun. So what did I miss?

Dustin (looking at the clue): Another confrontation between Rob and Colin.

Kandice (running with Dustin towards the train station): Ah the usual. You know how men act. They have to make a big show out of being the best and the most competitive. You would think they would be a little more restraining regarding the circumstances.

(Cut to Charla and Danny jumping up and down on the Rialto Bridge as Mirna and Oswald arrive)

Charla (greeting Mirna as she leaves the gondola): Good job, Mirna.

Danny (helping Oswald off the gondola): Did you have a good time on the gondola, Oswald?

Oswald (reading the clue): Yes. Mirna and I had a good laugh on the gondolas.

Charla (calling out to Mirna as well as Danny and Oswald): All right, everyone! Let's get to the train station together.

(Cut to Joe finding himself lost in a labyrinth of canals)

Joe (looking confused): I have no idea of my position.

(Cut to Ken and Kevin continuing to bump their gondolas into the nearby buildings)

Kevin (after hitting a building for the twentieth time): It's too bad we can't ask these buildings to move out of the way.

Ken (also hitting a building for the twentieth time): I know, Kevin. Let's not add being gondoliers on our job description.

(Cut to Bill, Drew, and Gerard waiting on the Rialto Bridge for the teammates)

Bill (looking out): Come on, Joe. Where are you? (Sees Joe coming forward) I'm here, Joe.

Joe (allowing the flow of the water to carry his gondola forward): What a relief!

Drew (seeing Kevin rowing his gondola after seeing Joe and Bill leave for the train station): There's my fraternity buddy right there!

Gerard (seeing Ken rowing his gondola): There's my brother right there!

Drew (reading the clue as Kevin is using towels to dry himself): I guess we're off to the train station.

Gerard (reading the clue as Ken tries to squeeze the water out of his own clothes): Let's go. How did you manage to get all soaking wet.

Ken (looking at his own wet clothes): Oh just managed to fall into the water at least a dozen different times.

Gerard (smiling with Ken): Very funny, Ken.

(Cut to the Venezia Santa Lucia railway station, where Rob and Amber are running up to the ticket office for tickets to Vienna)

Amber (talking to the ticket lady): Two tickets to Vienna. Please it's very important that we get there as fast as humanly possible.

Rob (sees Colin and Christie running to the same ticket office): Amber we should get our tickets now.

Amber (being handed tickets to Vienna): Thank you.

Christie (marching up to the ticket office with Colin): Hi. Can we get the same tickets the people in front of us got?

Ticket lady (checking a book of all scheduled trains): I'm sorry, ma'am. The train you requested has no more seats available.

Colin (placing his head down on the counter but quickly placing it back up): Can we get tickets for the next earliest train? (Being handed the tickets for the next earliest train) Thank you.

(Cut to all of the racers arriving at the train station, with these racers obtaining their train tickets independently from each other)

Kandice (holding her team's train tickets in her hands): It looks like that Dustin and I, Charla and Mirna, and Danny and Oswald are on the same train together traveling to Vienna. (Looks over to Kevin and Drew, Ken and Gerard, and Joe and Bill) And it appears that those other teams are on a different train from us.

Bill (noticing the apparent separation between the teams that were apparently a part of an alliance): Those teams over there didn't seem to have kept their word when they agreed to work together as a group.

Joe (reading a newspaper): I hear you, Bill. Perhaps the idea of alliances on the Amazing Race is pointless as teams who simply help their neighbors will find themselves dragging behind instead. It would be especially foolish if one team hangs behind, waiting for another team to finish a task.

Bill (observing a map of Europe hanging on the wall, with the newly formed nation-states of Germany and Italy seemingly vying for control over the continent against France, Austria-Hungary, and Russia): The Amazing Race is like geopolitics in terms of alliances. In both the Amazing Race and the real world, alliances are only temporary to a fault and flimsy at best, with these so-called alliances being detrimental to both teams in the long run. (Looking at the camera) And this is why Joe and I have agreed not to form any alliances with the other teams, no matter how bad it would make us look.

(Cut to a montage of the teams climbing onto their respective trains to Vienna. This then cuts to a map of the world)

Phil (voice-over): Teams are travelling on four different trains to Vienna. The first train to arrive in Vienna carries Rob and Amber, who are travelling to Vienna through Graz. The second train to arrive in Vienna carries Colin and Christie, who are travelling to Vienna through Salzburg. The third train to arrive in Vienna carries Dustin and Kandice, Charla and Mirna, and Danny and Oswald, who are travelling to Vienna through Ljubljana. The fourth train to arrive in Vienna carries Joe and Bill, Kevin and Drew, and Ken and Gerard, who are travelling to Vienna through Trieste.

(Cut to Rob and Amber on the earliest train to Vienna)

Rob (smiling at himself in triumph): Everything's been going so well today. I was the first one to finish the roadblock. Amber managed to get the earliest train tickets to Vienna. And every non-participant of the race loves me.

Amber (kissing Rob and the cheek): You're such a powerful man right now, Rob.

Rob (continuing to smile): Thank you, Amber. Just like Darwin said in his book The Origin of Species, the survival of the fittest has the toughest species possess the strongest muscles and brains to evolve as an individual and root out the weaker species.

Amber (looking puzzled): Uh, Rob. The Origin of Species actually stated that populations evolve, not individuals. And also, survival of the fittest means that a species has a greater capability of reproducing more frequently than other species, nothing to do with the strongest muscles and brains.

Rob (smile starting to falter): Oh. Yeah.

Amber (getting up and tugging at Rob's shoulders): I need to use the restroom. Care to escort me there?

Rob (stunned): Sure thing, honey.

(Cut to Rob and Amber shutting the door to the restroom, with both of them inside as the camera remains outside. Though unable to see inside, the camera still picks up the dialogue inside, which is subtitled on the screen)

Amber (whispering): Rob. Remember I told you to present yourself as an educated gentleman to the world stage. Well you just gave away your (pauses to gather her thoughts) less than intelligent self to the world. I mean, you're somewhat smart, but when we agreed to do the Amazing Race, we both agreed that the audience would much rather root for the intellectual-gifted man rather than an average person.

Rob (whispering): Yeah I remembered we both agreed to that decision. (Looking embarrassed) So tell me. What was War and Peace about again?

Amber (sighing): Oh Rob. Let me emphasize our Amazing Race agreement for the last time: Just let me fill you on information related to geography, classic literature, and all the other subjects ever educated gentlemen should be familiar with. Just keep on wearing the fanciest suits in order to have the audience and the other racers remain impressed with your extravagant appearance. I mean, Colin wears his suit like a deranged madman.

Rob (laughing softly): Yes that is true. Is this room sound-proof?

Amber (whispering): Yes. I'm sure of it. How about we just keep this information between the two of us?

Rob (whispering): Agreed.

(Cut to the train with Joe and Bill, Ken and Gerard, and Kevin and Drew. Joe and Bill are situated in a cabin away from Ken and Gerard as well as Kevin and drew)

Kevin (talking with Ken and Gerard): And that's when I met Drew. At a fraternity party. Drew and I shared a few drinks with each other, and from that time forward, we became close friends since.

Gerard (smiling): That's a great story. Ken and I are brothers from birth. During the Civil War, brothers from North and South were fighting against each, killing each other both cruelly and brutally. During those turbulent times, Ken and I tried to maintain our brotherly love for each other despite our political differences as children.

Ken (smiling at Gerard): Yep. I was a supporter of the Copperheads, a group of Democrats who supported peace with the South. Reading the newspapers of the time, I saw men bleeding each other at the Battle of Antietam and the Battle of Shiloh. But Gerard, who supported the Republicans, insisted that the war would be worth the sacrifice of our fellow Americans. I disagreed with Gerard until the draft riots happened in New York City. Watching from the sidelines, I saw mobs attacking African Americans without mercy. After witnessing this event, I realized the full implications of President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, in which the war was fought for the rights of African Americans.

Drew (shaking his head sadly): I remember the draft riots. A tragic event that was, happening in the heart of New York City.

Ken (looking at Drew): I hear you. After that, I became supportive of the war along with my brother, and though I am still a loyal Democrat, I still love my brother despite him being a Republican. Despite the war, Gerard and I have remained close after all these years, with myself hoping that our American brothers from the North and South can also reconcile their differences and become close to each other.

Kevin (nodding in agreement): I agree. Drew and I may not be related biologically, but we still maintain a close friendship with each other as if we are lifetime brothers.

Drew: Agreed. As a team of brothers, let us support each other throughout this race.

(Cut to Colin and Christie on the second earliest train, with Colin in the front of the train. He is ordering the men to work harder and faster than ever before. Colin himself has soot in his face, looking both disheveled and glorious as he looks through his green notebook)

Colin (his eyes bulging as he himself is shoveling coal into the fire): Go men! We can make it to Vienna before Rob and Amber. Let's do it, men!

Christie (staring at Colin with admiration and infatuation): Colin is such a great man. He is willing to go the extra distance in any competition, especially for one million dollars.

Colin (being handed a plate consisting of potatoes fried with onions): Thank you. (Consuming the meal as he observes the landscape unfolding before his eyes, with the forests giving way to wide fields) I am passing through the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the successor to the Austrian Empire. (Whispering to himself) It was here that Napoleon Bonaparte, history's greatest military strategist, won the Battle of Austerlitz against combined forces of Austrian and Russian soldiers (Places his hand into his suit in a Napoleonic pose) Hopefully I can achieve the same results right now. (Takes out his pocket watch to observe how much time he had cut from the entire trip) I believe that I can just catch up to Rob.

(Cut to Rob and Amber disembarking from their train at Vienna's Praterstern station, being greeted excitedly by the Viennese community)

Rob (bowing with Amber to the crowd like royalty): Thank you. Thank you. You are too kind.

(Cut to Colin and Christie's train about to reach the train station. Colin sees Rob and Amber bowing to their admirers)

Christie (looking out the window): Colin. You did it. We actually caught up to Rob and Amber.

Colin (seeing Rob and Amber being unaware of the arriving train): I can't wait to see the looks on their faces.

(Commercial Break)

(Cut to Rob and Amber continuing to bow to their new fans when out of the smoke, a train arrives beside them. To Rob's horror, he sees Colin and Christie waving to him in triumph)

Amber (looking up in disbelief): No way!

Rob (looking down in defeat): This is horse crap.

Christie (looking down upon the crowd of spectators eager to see Colin, who had just emerged from the doors of the train): These people just adore you. Never in your life have you been so beloved by the people.

Colin (sweaty and tired but happy nevertheless): I know, Christie. (Climbing down from the train with Christie, shaking the hands with everybody there) I salute all of you for supporting me.

Amber (seeing Rob's incensed attitude towards not being the center of attention): Ignore them, Rob. Let's just get to the Schönbrunn Zoo.

Rob (averting his face away from Colin and Christie being swamped by cheering spectators): Alright. Let's go.

(Cut to the third train arriving at the train station, with Charla and Mirna, Dustin and Kandice, and Danny and Oswald getting off their train and running towards their respective horse-drawn carriages. Rob and Amber as well as Colin and Christie have left already)

Dustin (in the driver seat): Let's get going. Giddy up.

Oswald (in the passenger seat): Are you okay being the horse whisperer, Danny?

Danny (in the driver seat): Let me check. Are you ready to go to the zoo little horsy? (Horse gives an approving neigh) Okay then. I am a horse whisperer. Off to the zoo!

Charla (seeing Dustin and Kandice as well as Danny and Oswald leaving): Mirna. The other two teams have left already.

Mirna (struggling to read a map of Vienna): I know, Charla. I just don't know where the zoo is. (Sees a man with a cigar in his mouth walking by) Hey. Do you know where the Schönbrunn Zoo is?

Sigmund Freud: Yes

Mirna: Can you come with us?

Freud: I have work.

Mirna: We'll give you a lot of money. (Pulls Freud by the sleeve of his suit, whom looks confused and frightened for his life) Come on. Come in our horse-drawn carriage.

Charla (addressing a nervous Freud): Welcome to Charla and Mirna's world. It's a scary one.

Freud (smoking his cigar): Interesting.

(Cut to Rob and Amber racing Colin and Christie through the Schönbrunn Zoo, with both of them finding the cluebox next to the giraffe exhibit)

Christie (opening the clue and reading it): Detour: Grace or Balance.

Phil: A detour is a task with two choices, each with their own pros and cons. In this detour, teams will decide on tasks that are a traditional part of Viennese society. The choice: Grace or Balance. In Grace, teams will head towards the Redouten Wing in the Hofburg Palace, where they will perfect Austrian ball dancing with a local. If teams are able to dance with grace, they will be handed their next clue. In Balance, teams will head towards the Spanish Riding School, which is also a part of the Hofburg Palace. Here, teams will attempt to ride the famed Lipizzan horses in a professional manner. If teams are successful in balancing on their horses while riding on it, they will be handed their next clue.

Colin (reading the clue): I say we do Balance because we're both good at riding horses.

Rob (reading the clue as Colin and Christie leave): Detour. I think Balance would be a good idea considering we're professionals at riding horses. (Running with Amber back to their horse-drawn carriages) Come on!

(Cut to Dustin and Kandice as well as Danny and Oswald reaching the cluebox at the Schönbrunn Zoo)

Dustin (reading the clue): Detour. I say that we do Grace.

Oswald (reading the clue): I think Balance would be an excellent idea, seeing that we are both horse whisperers.

(Cut to Charla and Mirna running with Sigmund Freud to the cluebox)

Charla (reading the clue): I think we should do Balance.

Mirna (looking doubtful at Charla): Charla, are you sure? You might not be able to control the horse.

Charla (putting on a determined look): Mirna. I'll be fine. Trust me.

(Cut to Charla and Mirna departing on their horse-drawn carriage with Sigmund Freud)

Charla (leading the horse on the carriage): I'm leading this horse as a practice run for doing the detour. Hopefully, this will help me ride the Lipizzan horses they will have at the Spanish Riding School.

Freud (smoking a cigar and taking out a pen and a pad of paper): So tell me about your childhood, Mirna.

Mirna (bewildered by Freud's statement): Why do you ask?

Freud: Because Charla just said that your world was a scary one. I like to delve into the minds of my fellow human beings. Take them apart and reveal your darkest secrets for the entire world to observe. Think of me as a doctor of your consciousness. Lie down if you will.

Mirna (lying down on the carriage's seat): Well I guess the beginning of my scary world was when I was entered into law school to become an attorney. I was young and naïve back then. On my first day of class, several of my male classmates mocked me for being a simple-minded woman. From that time forward, I was wary of making any friends with anyone.

(Cut to the fourth train arriving in Vienna, which carried Joe and Bill, Kevin and Drew, and Ken and Gerard)

Bill (driving the horse-drawn carriage): Joe. Why are you holding that bell out in the open?

Joe (looking at the bell in his hand): Just in case we need to call someone for help.

Bill (looking back at Joe): Put that away, Bill. I doubt we'll ever going to need it.

Ken (driving the horse-drawn carriage): Right now, we're having Kevin and Drew follow us to the Schönbrunn Zoo. On the train ride here, we became friends with Kevin and Drew.

Gerard (in the passenger seat): Exactly, Ken. We're pretty much both brothers, with Kevin and Drew being the fraternity brothers and Ken and me being familial brothers. I think we'll be a true band of brothers.

(Cut to Joe and Bill reaching the cluebox, with Kevin and Drew as well as Ken and Gerard following behind)

Joe (reading the clue): Detour. We're definitely going dancing, Bill.

Bill (placing his hand on Joe's shoulder): Right behind you, Joe.

Kevin (reading the clue): I say that we do Grace. (Looking at Ken and Gerard) Do you want to do Grace as well.

Gerard (nodding his head): I don't see why not.

(Cut to Colin and Christie reaching the Spanish Riding School along with Rob and Amber. Both teams are quickly suiting up in traditional attire for riding the Lipizzaner horse)

Christie (reading the instructions while Colin is getting up onto the horse): Okay. The clue states that we can learn to perfect the movements on the Lipizzaner horses in this little practice area. Once we are ready, we can move to the main stage and perform in front of the judge. If the judge approves of our technique, then we will be given the next clue.

Colin (placing his horse on its hind legs): Sounds good to me.

Rob (helping Amber onto her horse before getting onto his): Okay. We can do this. Just be gentle with the horse.

(Cut to Charla and Mirna reaching Hofburg Palace, with Mirna still lying down on the carriage as she tells Freud of her problems)

Mirna (speaking extensively): And so, I graduated from law school and became an attorney. Though I had achieved my goal, I became more and more isolated from the rest of the world, with only Charla to keep me company. (Looks at Freud) So what's my problem, doctor?

Freud (pausing to think as he smokes): It would appear that your scary world originated from how you have treated the world the way you wanted it to be treated: a cruel and unforgiving world that deserves to be beaten down by you. Throughout your time at law school, you were ridiculed by your male peers, the catalyst for your specific hatred of the male species. Thus it explains your enmity towards this man you called Colin, who represents everything you hate about men: dominating and arrogant. This is why you are the way you are: you want to prove yourself above the influence of men by being more assertive against them.

Charla (seeing Danny and Oswald arriving at Hofburg Palace): Uh guys. We need to get going.

Mirna (snapping out of her trance): Oh yeah. Let's get going.

Freud (speaking aloud): Wait! Tell me about Colin's mother.

Charla (getting annoyed): No seriously. We really have to go.

(Cut to Colin and Christie as well as Rob and Amber riding vigorously on their respective horses, moving them over hurdles, moving them around their practice area, and having them charge in a straight line)

Colin (riding his horse with ease): This is easy. I've been riding since I was a little boy. (Looks at Christie) How am I doing?

Christie (smiling at him): You are doing splendidly, Colin. A true man knows how to ride a horse.

Amber (yelling at Christie): A true man also doesn't have his suit on haphazardly like Colin has.

Rob (yelling at Colin): Yep. And a true man also doesn't allow his horse to wander aimlessly in the wrong direction.

Colin (seeing his horse walking by itself): What is the measure of a true man? Is it the size of his muscles or the size of his brain? If I was to judge you by the size of your brain, I would conclude that you would be rather feminine.

(Cut to Charla and Mirna as well as Danny and Oswald staring at Rob, who looked as though he wanted to shout but thought otherwise)

Mirna (having observed the fight between the two teams): Those two teams are being pathetic in believing that a man should be able to prove himself through shouting incoherently at each other with no expressed purpose other than to impress their mates.

Freud (appearing out of nowhere): Well said, Mirna.

Mirna (shocked at Freud's sudden appearance): Dr. Freud. Why are you still here? I thought you would have left after you had given us the proper directions.

Freud (smoking his cigar as he analyzes the situation before him): I think it's more interesting to see proper human behavior in the wild. (Looking at how Amber and Christie are in awe of their respective husbands' ability to control their horses) Rob and Colin remind me of male animals trying to profess their dominance over their pack. They are known as Alpha Males, a subsection of a species that attempts to display power and authority over the lesser beings of their society. To Rob and Colin, they are like the knights in shining armor, utilizing ancient methods of achieving popularity through unhealthy ambition and high-minded rhetoric.

Mirna (looking impressed at Dr. Freud's words): Wow. That explains a lot, Dr. Freud.

(Cut to Dustin and Kandice arriving at the Redouten Wing in the Hofburg Palace)

Dustin (reading the clue): Choose a dancing partner whom you will be dancing with for this task. (Sees an attractive gentleman in front of her) How about you, sir? You look like a handsome gentleman. (Reaches out to get her dancing partner) Kandice. Do you have your dancing partner yet?

Kandice (looking thoroughly at the line of gentlemen): I can't really decide right now. In fact, I don't really like men all that much.

Dustin (voice-over): I recently got married before embarking on this race, but Kandice here is somewhat reluctant to become heavily involved in a relationship with men, seeing them as both untrustworthy and power-hungry.

Dustin (seeing Kandice's indecision): Here Kandice. (Pulls a random gentleman in front of Kandice) Have this man to dance with.

Kandice (somewhat reluctant): Okay.

(Cut to Joe and Bill, Kevin and Drew, and Ken and Gerard reaching the Redouten Wing, with all of them seeing a ballroom full of couples dancing to the rhythm of violins playing Canon in D)

Joe (seeing the line of ladies waiting for a dance partner): Bill. We're going to have to choose a dance partner.

Bill (looking at Joe with a longing expression on his face): Okay. (Walking in front of the row of ladies) I guess I have to choose soon.

Kevin (seeing the row of ladies): Look. There a row of drinks right behind the ladies.

Drew (also seeing the row of drinks): I could use a drink right now.

Ken (also grabbing a cup of wine as he observes the complicated dance routine being displayed on the ballroom floor): I think this would a good time to switch detours.

Gerard (taking a drink from the cup): I would agree with you, brother.

Drew (seeing Ken and Gerard about to leave for the other detour): Before you two leave, how about we have another drink in celebration of our newfound friendship.

Ken, Gerard, Kevin, Drew (raising their cups and drinking): Cheers!

(Cut to Colin and Christie riding their horses in unison with each other, with Colin controlling his horse with the greatest of ease)

Colin (satisfied with himself): I think it's time for our big moment.

Christie (riding behind Colin towards the main stage, passing by Ken and Gerard): Right behind you, Colin.

Colin (seeing Ken and Gerard's expression of awe towards him): I have never been more powerful or more dominating than before this very moment.

(Cut to the main stage where several royal dignitaries were about to watch Colin and Christie perform on their Lipizzaner horses, with Archduke Franz Ferdinand as the judge)

Archduke Franz Ferdinand (looking stoic): Let's see what they can do.

Colin (speaking to Christie): Follow my lead.

Christie (nodding her head): Okay Colin.

Colin (voice-over): As I was riding that horse in front of all those people, I felt I was slipping into the skin of Napoleon Bonaparte, a man who astounded the world by his military brilliance on the battlefield. As Napoleon marched into Vienna, he was greeted by the Viennese elders for his talents and charisma. Being given the opportunity to perform at the Spanish Riding School, I was more than willing to live up to Napoleon's image and impress the elders of Vienna myself.

(A continuous shot of Colin and Christie performing impressive moves such as placing their horses on their hind legs, holding hands with each other while marching their horses in a circle, charging directly at a solid wall before stopping abruptly, and placing one hand on the reins and the other straight into the air in a triumphal pose)

Archduke Franz Ferdinand (stunned): I'm… (Getting up from his seat and clapping enthusiastically) I'm deeply impressed (Handing over the next clue to Colin amidst all of the rapturous applause) I never seen riders control their horses with such balance and elegance. But you two tamed these wild creatures and reined them in to perform such wondrous feats of motion and rhythm. For that, you most certainty deserves this clue.

Colin (looking astounded of receiving such a compliment from a royal figure): Thank you, your majesty. Thank you. May God bless you. (Opens the clue and reading it) Make your way to the next pit stop: The Zeremoniensaal (Ceremonial Hall)

Phil: Teams will travel to the next pit stop: The Zeremoniensaal (Ceremonial Hall) in the Hofburg Palace. This magnificent hall serves as the throne room for the glorious Austro-Hungarian monarchy. It is now the pit stop for this leg of the race. The last team to check in here may be eliminated.

(Cut to Colin and Christie departing for the Ceremonial Hall as Rob and Amber enter to perform on their horses)

Royal Guests (whispering into each other ears): Here he is. The extraordinary man from the American city of Boston. Maybe we'll see a performance that would outmatch even Colin and Christie's.

Rob (putting on a dignified tone for Archduke Franz Ferdinand): We are here to perform, your highest majesty.

Archduke Franz Ferdinand (smiling in anticipation): You may proceed.

(A continuous shot of Rob and Amber riding their horses with both hands on the reins, with the horses moving slowly around the perimeter of the stage. Moving on their horses conservatively, Rob and Amber continue to restrain their horses to move in a slow trot, putting on a dignified yet unremarkable show)

Archduke Franz Ferdinand (seeing the eager expressions on Rob and Amber's faces): That was okay. (Holding the clue in his hand) Here's your next clue, Rob.

Rob (hearing the somewhat disappointed mutterings in the crowd): Why am I not being praised by everyone here?

Amber (opening the clue and reading it): I don't know, Rob. Travel to the Ceremonial Hall. Let's go. Colin and Christie might still be looking for it.

(Cut to Colin and Christie getting lost in the Hofburg Palace)

Colin (looking confused and disorientated): Where are we? We're so close, and yet so far. I'm going to get that third win.

(Cut to Rob and Amber running as fast as they can to the pit stop)

Amber (pulling Rob's hand): Come on! I see the pit stop.

(Cut to Colin and Christie running to the pit stop)

Christie (running with Colin to the pit stop): That's the pit stop!

(Cut to a first person shot of the camera running into the Ceremonial Hall, where Phil and Emperor Franz Joseph I are waiting at the pit stop)

Emperor Franz Joseph I: Welcome to Vienna, Austria-Hungary

Colin and Christie: Thank you.

Phil: Colin and Christie. Once again, you are team number one. (Seeing Colin and Christie look up to the ceiling in pride) And I got some good news for you. As the winners for this leg of the race, you have won a trip for two to Denmark, which you can enjoy after the race. (Talking to Christie) So Christie. Do you believe Colin to be the perfect man for you?

Christie (looks at Colin with happiness): Oh yes. Colin has just proved himself to be highly innovative and hard-working throughout this entire race.

Colin (placing both of his hands on his suit): I am indeed the perfect man for Christie. In fact, this entire leg has been my greatest achievement on this race thus far. I hope to look back on this moment as my finest hour.

(Cut to Rob and Amber arriving at the pit stop)

Phil: Rob and Amber. You're team number two.

Rob (looks at Amber with a sad smile): We'll take it this time. We'll do better next time.

(Cut to the Redouten Wing, where Dustin and Kandice, Joe and Bill, and Kevin and Drew are attempting to dance)

Kandice (dancing with a gentleman in the Redouten Wing of the Hofburg Palace): You're a very fine and graceful dancer.

Kandice's gentleman (complimentary): You're very elegant at dancing, madam.

Kandice (voice-over): As a suffragist, I often saw a majority of men as being rude and dominating of women with their superiority complex. As I was escorting Dustin at her wedding, I thought that Dustin was pursuing a life of conformity and restrictions. This was the reason I was skeptical of finding a good man to dance with during the detour, fearing that he would be condescending and mean-spirited towards me. As it turns out, not every man is dictatorial over women and his fellow male peers. When I danced with this lovely gentleman, I felt a sacred bond of trust had been formed between us.

Dustin (seeing Kandice dancing energetically with her male partner): You're dancing wonderfully, Kandice. Keep up the good work.

Joe (watching Dustin and Kandice dancing elegantly with their partners): I just can't seem to dance properly right now. (Looks at his female dance partner with regret) Bill, what should I do?

Bill (looking at Joe with a loving expression in his eyes): Joe. Just pretend that the person you are dancing with is the person you have danced with before in your life.

Joe (looking at Bill with a sense of relief): Alright. Thanks, Bill.

Joe's Dancing Partner: That's a strange thing for your race partner to say. Who exactly are you thinking of, Joe?

Joe (looks at Bill for assistance): Oh. Someone very important in my life. You would have a hard time understanding my love for this person.

Dustin (calling out to Kandice after finishing her dance): Kandice. We can stop now. (Holding the clue in her hand) We got the clue now.

Kandice (letting go of her dancing partner reluctantly): Okay. (Reading the clue) Make your way to the next pit stop: The Zeremoniensaal (Ceremonial Hall). (Running through a crowd of clapping onlookers) Let's get to the pit stop, Dustin.

(Cut to Dustin and Kandice reaching the pit stop)

Phil (seeing Dustin and Kandice on the pit stop mat): Dustin and Kandice. You're team number three.

Dustin and Kandice (clapping each other's hands): Good job back there!

(Cut to Charla and Mirna practicing on the horses, struggling to maintain control at the same time as Danny and Oswald as well as Ken and Gerard)

Mirna (feeling optimistic): Charla. I think we can perform now.

Charla (feeling unsure): Mirna. I don't think we should perform.

Mirna (pulling the reins on Charla's horse): Oh I think we can do it, Charla. Just relax.

(Cut to the inside of the main stage, where the crowd was anticipating another performance after a mediocre one)

Archduke Franz Ferdinand (staring wide-eyed at Charla): Show us what you got.

(A continuous shot of Charla and Mirna leading their horses through many spectacular jumps and zigzag motions to the amusement of the crowd)

Mirna (seeing herself and Charla moving their horses with ease): Charla! I think we got it.

(Cut to Mirna seeing Charla's horse moving out of control and threatening to throw Charla off)

Charla (panicking): Mirna! I need help.

Mirna (hearing the gasps from the crowd): Charla! Just hold on. (Sees Charla being knocked off her horse) Oh!

(Commercial Break)

(Cut to the main stage where Mirna is getting off her horse and rushing to Charla's aid, with Charla lying face down on the floor after being knocked off by her horse)

Mirna (helping Charla get up on her feet): Charla! Are you okay?!

Charla (trying to gather her thoughts on what happened): Yeah I'm okay.

Mirna (leading Charla back to the practice area): Things are hard in life sometimes. But we just have to keep moving forward.

(Cut to the ballroom where Joe and Bill as well as Kevin and Drew were dancing, with Joe and Bill now dancing exceptionally well whereas Kevin and Drew were doing rather badly)

Joe (smiling as he has perfected the dancing routine): Bill. I'm doing it. I'm actually dancing well.

Bill (smiling back): Good job, Joe. (Sees a clue being handed to them) Thank you.

Kevin (sees Joe and Bill headed to the pit stop): How did Joe and Bill do it?

Drew (shrugging his shoulders): I don't know, Kevin. (Stepping on the foot of his dancing partner) Sorry. I just can't seem to get down this dance routine properly.

Kevin (dancing inelegantly with his partner): I know, Drew. We spent our time in the fraternities drinking and talking about manly stuff. Maybe we should have devoted more of our time dancing. But since we're not exactly muscular and well-built men, I think staying away from dancing was best for the both of us at the time.

(Cut to Joe and Bill arriving at the pit stop)

Phil (seeing Joe and Bill at the mat): Joe and Bill. You're team number four. (Sees Joe and Bill satisfied reactions) So Bill. How exactly did you help Joe overcome his problems of dancing in the Austrian ball?

Bill: I just told him to pretend that he was dancing with a very special person of his in his life.

Phil: I would like to meet this person someday. Is this person fun to be with?

Joe (looks at Bill with a smile): Yes. This person is very fun to be with.

(Cut to the practice area, where Mirna was leading Charla towards. Danny and Oswald as well Ken and Gerard were practicing on their horses when they noticed that Charla and Mirna didn't have their next clue with them)

Danny (approaching Charla and Mirna on his horse): What happened?

Charla (trying to crack a smile): Oh. I just fell off my horse.

Oswald (checking Charla's arm): Are you hurt?

Charla (appreciative of Oswald's help): No. Just bruised here and there. Nothing serious.

Ken (talking to Mirna): Mirna. Charla right here is one tough cookie. She's willing to risk injury in proving that she can do anything she wants to do.

Gerard (talking to Mirna): Yep. Mirna, you're lucky to have a cousin like Charla.

Mirna (flattered by this statement): Thank you so much.

Mirna (voice-over): As I had stated to Dr. Freud, I thought that the world was full of evil and savagery, thus justifying my somewhat pushy behavior towards other people. But when I saw Danny and Oswald as well as Ken and Gerard show genuine concern for Charla's well-being, I realized that the world is full of good people, and in fact, not all men are egotistical and diabolical.

Freud (observing from the sidelines): Before I depart for work, I must say that Danny and Oswald as well as Ken and Gerard are the polar opposite of men like Rob and Colin. To me, Rob and Colin is representative of the id, of which their minds are tailored towards their more primal needs of gaining power and possessing an uncontrollable temper. In contrast, Danny and Oswald as well as Ken and Gerard represent the superego of the mind, by which they are dictated by societal norms of being compassionate towards your fellow peers regardless of the circumstances. (Walking back into the streets of Vienna) Maybe that's what the Amazing Race is about: a constant struggle between the id and the superego.

Danny (getting back onto his horse): I think we should perform now, Oswald.

Oswald (seeing Charla and Mirna's looks of encouragement): Alright, Danny.

(Cut to the main stage, where Danny and Oswald are now putting on a show. A continuous shot of Danny and Oswald whispering into their horses' ears, telling them to perform stunts like neighing frequently, performing small jumps, and allowing them to switch horses throughout the entire performance)

Archduke Franz Ferdinand (clapping alongside the crowd): That was unconventional. And I liked it (Holding the clue in his hand) Here's your next clue.

Danny (opening the clue and reading it): Thank you. Travel to the next pit stop: Ceremonial Hall.

(Cut to Charla and Mirna getting back onto their horses, with Mirna holding Charla's hand for comfort and assurance)

Mirna (being concerned for Charla's safety): Are you sure you are ready?

Charla (putting a determined look on her face): I'm ready, Mirna.

(Cut to Danny and Oswald reaching the pit stop)

Phil (seeing Danny and Oswald at the mat): Danny and Oswald. You're team number five.

Danny and Oswald (smiling): Thank you, Phil.

(Cut to the main stage. Charla and Mirna are now ready to perform again)

Charla (addressing the worried spectators): Don't worry everyone. I've got it now. (Looks at Mirna) Ready, Mirna?

Mirna (agreeing with Charla): I was born ready, Charla.

(A continuous shot of Charla and Mirna leading their horses through many spectacular jumps and zigzag motions. Oftentimes, the spectators would cover their eyes in fright, but as soon as the stunt was performed, the spectators would give a loud applause)

Archduke Franz Ferdinand (clapping the hardest): Very good. Very good. I see that you have recovered from that terrible accident earlier. (Holding the clue in his hand) For that, you definitely deserve this next clue.

Charla (being handed the clue): Thank you. (Reading the clue) Let's go to the pit stop, Charla.

(Cut to Kevin and Drew struggling to learn how to dance)

Kevin (getting frustrated): Why is it so hard to dance?

Kevin's female partner: Just relax and take gentle breathes.

Kevin (giving a sad smile): Easy for you to say.

(Cut to Charla and Mirna arriving at the pit stop)

Phil (seeing Charla and Mirna's exhaustive, but glad faces at the pit stop): Charla and Mirna. You're team number six.

(Cut to Ken and Gerard about to perform on the main stage)

Ken (looking at Gerard): Do you think we've practiced enough?

Gerard (looking back at Ken): I think we've practiced enough, Ken.

Archduke Franz Ferdinand: You may proceed, gentlemen.

(Cut to Kevin and Drew dancing on the ballroom floor)

Drew (stopping): Is it good? (Seeing no one giving them the clue) No. (Giving a worried expression to Kevin) We'll just have to continue dancing.

(Cut to Ken and Gerard performing stunts like standing up on their horses, having their horses jump over themselves, and having the horses give roses to the ladies in the crowd)

Archduke Franz Ferdinand (placing his clasped hands underneath his chin): I think…. that you deserve your next clue. (Handing out the clue to Ken) Here you go. Thanks for the excellent performance.

Ken (opening the clue and reading it): Make your way to the next pit stop: Ceremonial Hall.

(Cut to the ballroom floor where Kevin and Drew are about to finish with their dance)

Kevin (feeling his spirits being lifted): I think we've got it. (Looks around the ballroom for someone handing out the clue) Clue? Clue? (Sees no one with the clue) Damn.

Drew (seeing Kevin's bitter disappointment): Just not our day, Kevin.

(Cut to Ken and Gerard reaching the pit stop)

Phil (seeing Ken and Gerard on the mat): Ken and Gerard. You're team number seven.

Ken and Gerard (relieved): Oh thank goodness.

(Cut to Kevin and Drew now sweating profusely after having danced for so long)

Kevin (sweating madly): Are we finally done? (Seeing the clue being handed to them) Yes! We got it, Drew!

Drew (opening the clue and reading it): Make your way to the next pit stop: Ceremonial Hall. (Running out of the room with Kevin) Thanks everyone for remaining with us.

(Cut to Kevin and Drew reaching the pit stop)

Phil (seeing Kevin and Drew on the mat): Kevin and Drew. You're the last team to arrive. I'm … pleased to tell you however that this is a non-elimination leg and you're still in the Amazing Race. (Sees Kevin and Drew cries of relief) However, I have some bad news. (Kevin and Drew adopt a more serious countenance). At the pit stop on the next leg, you will incur a 30-minute penalty if you do not get first place on the next leg. And you'll have to wait out that penalty before I can check you in. So do you believe that the two of you can overcome this penalty and remain in the race?

Kevin (looking confident): Oh yes. Drew and I have been fraternity brothers during our university years. And we made a pact to remain together for the rest of our lives.

Drew (walking away arm in arm with Kevin): And since one of us want to continue racing and conquer this marked for elimination penalty, then we're both going to do it. In the end, we're both brothers with an unbreakable bond with each other that will last forever.

(End Credits)

Phil (voice-over): Stay tune for scenes from our next episode.

(Commercial Break)

Phil (voice-over): On the next episode of the Amazing Race.

(Cut to Constantinople, complete with landmarks such as the Hagia Sophia)

Phil (voice-over): Teams will travel on the Orient Express to the imperial capital of the Ottoman Empire. (Cut to Drew struggling to spin around in a circle) Can Kevin and Drew overcome their marked for elimination penalty?

Kevin (looking worried): Come on, Drew? Focus. We'll be eliminated if we don't get it.

Drew (feeling exhaustive): I know, Kevin. But I don't think I can do this.

Phil (voice-over): But before going into Constantinople, a group of teams will face a roadblock of monumental proportions.

(Cut to a shot of the teams on the train screaming in terror as the train is derailed off its tracks. The camera is showing seats uprooted from their bolts, windows cracked, food and fine china scattered throughout, and steam entering through the crushed, inoperable locomotive)

[END]

**A/N: Thank you, TARFan for your words of encouragement. I cannot thank you enough. You gave the suggestion of posting my story in a TAR community. I tried posting this story on several websites like Television Without Pity, and unfortunately, only a select few members may post new forum topics on the websites, meaning that I am unable to post the story due to not being a special member of the website. Can anyone please tell me a TAR website that would allow me to post this story without having to be a high-ranking member of the website. On another note, I got the inspiration for the term "Clash of the Titans" from Chip's statement on TAR5, who stated that the conflict between Colin and Christie and Charla and Mirna was like the "Clash of the Titans". In writing this story, I wanted to see the Clash of the Ultimate Titans between Rob and Amber and Colin and Christie, thus making Chip's quote more meaningful. Indeed, who do you think is the ultimate titan based on this story: Rob and Amber or Colin and Christie. All in all, please review this story as a way of giving me your input regarding it. **


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